David Lee Roth, Hager tour feud

One wonders how Eddie Van Halen lasted so many years. The guitarist's two former frontmen -- David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar -- dislike each other so much they needed walls constructed backstage to separate them during the recent concert tour together.

"Every night looked like a rap festival with all the police presence," the balding Roth said after presenting with Hagar at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Thursday.

Roth and Hagar didn't appear backstage together, however.

Hagar said the concerts were great, the offstage moments weren't.

"All the stuff backstage got pretty ugly at times," Hagar said. "I had to sleep with my light on twice."

Roth played down the feud. "What's the worst a couple of rock stars can do -- a little slap-fighting?"

'Star Wars' fans religiously devoted

May the Force be with you. Amen.

More than 70,000 fans of the "Star Wars" movies have upset Australia's statistics agency by identifying their religion as "Jedi" during last year's national census.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday that 0.37 percent of the nation's population of 19 million, or 70,509 people, had written Jedi or a related response to an optional question about their faith when the head count was taken last August.

Jedi is a mystical faith followed by some of the central characters in the "Star Wars" films.

The prank began early last year when "Star Wars" fans circulated an e-mail across Australia saying the government would be forced to recognize Jedi as an official religion if at least 10,000 people named it on the census.

When made aware of the campaign, the statistics agency announced that respondents faced a fine of 1,000 Australian dollars ($540) if they were found to have given false information.

In a statement Tuesday on its Internet site, the agency did not say whether it would try to fine the Jedi faithful. But it warned that the Australian public ultimately paid the price for census-related pranks.

"If, for example, people of a particular religious affiliation do not provide the correct information, certain facilities might not be built that otherwise would be," the agency said.

The government uses data recorded in the national head count every five years to determine population levels and help in policymaking.

The bureau said the Jedi response has been categorized as "not defined" for census purposes. The criteria for recognizing a religion go "beyond the number of responses a particular answer receives in the census," it said.

This Was One Of The Most Fun Films Of 2002!

Some word today on the DVD release of Disney's Lilo and Stitch. The disc will street on 12/5, unfortunately only as a single-disc edition. There's no word yet on features, but a lot of special edition material was produced for the title. So the question is, will there be a more ultimate, 2-disc edition to follow? I surmise, yes!

Also in December, Disney is set to "disappear" several of their animated DVD releases, placing them on moratorium on 12/31. These include Peter Pan, Peter Pan: Return to Never Land, The Little Mermaid II, Beauty and the Beast: Platinum Edition (less than 90 days after its initial release) and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. So get them while they are hot!

Kelly Preston Puts on 'The Cat in the Hat'

Kelly Preston has landed the role of the mom in producer Brian Grazer’s live-action version of the classic children’s book “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.”

Production designer Bo Welch (“Men in Black”) will be making his directorial debut on the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat” tells the story of Dr. Seuss, a mischievous feline in a striped stovepipe hat (played by Mike Myers) who enters the lives of young Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and his little sister, Sally (Dakota Fanning) while their parents are away and causes complete chaos in the house.

Myers, who's no stranger to being hidden under layers of makeup in such roles as Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard from the "Austin Powers" movies, will act beneath extensive prosthetics courtesy of makeup effects maestro Rick Baker, similar to what Jim Carrey did in "The Grinch."

Preston, who’ll next be appearing in Bruno Barreto’s “A View from the Top,” is currently finishing work on Jordan Brady’s “An American Girl.”

GOING DIGITAL

ABC and CBS on Wednesday announcing increased commitments to high-definition broadcasting in the upcoming fall season. ABC will air more than 13 hours of HD programming per week, while CBS will lead all networks with 27 hours.

STAKE OUT

Actress Eliza Dushku reprising her role as evil vampire slayer Faith in this season's last five episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and three episodes of the WB's Angel.

HOLIDAY TUNES

Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World and Sarah McLachlan with the Barenaked Ladies among the artists contributing tracks to Maybe This Christmas, an upcoming holiday collection of classic Christmas covers and originals due to hit record stores November 5.

IT'S BACK!

With Fox enjoying mega-success with American Idol, CBS executives ordering up nine episodes of an updated Star Search, the syndicated variety series that started it all. A new host is expected to replace original emcee Ed McMahon when it bows sometime in 2003.

Why Do These Shows Always Suck?!?

Eminem won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, but it didn't put the rapper in a good mood — he found time to feud with his nemesis Moby, then ended up getting booed by the crowd.

It's down to two on "American Idol."

Nikki McKibbin, 23, from Grand Prairie, Texas, was the latest to get booted from the hit Fox talent show, in which the grand prize is a recording contract.

"What an incredible journey this has been," McKibbin wept moments after she was told the bad news.

"Just to know that so many people support me and enjoy what I do means so much. It's been worth it every step of the way. I couldn't ask for better fans or better exposure."

McKibbin drew the fewest viewer votes out of the millions cast this week.

With McKibbin gone, the stage is now set for next week's highly anticipated final showdown between Justin Guarini of Doylestown, Pa., and Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, Texas.

Guarini, 23, and Clarkson, 20, will square off next Tuesday night during a live performance. One of them will be revealed as the show's ultimate winner on Wednesday night.

"American Idol" is based on last year's British hit, "Pop Idol."

That show launched the singing career of winner William Young and helped land recording deals for a few of the show's other contestants.

"American Idol" - described as a cross of "Survivor" and "Star Search" - has drawn a combined total audience averaging about 11 million viewers since its debut in June.

Tuesday night's broadcast drew about 15 million viewers, the show's best ratings to date.

Rubin producing new Limp Bizkit album

Limp Bizkit didn't settle for less when picking the producer for their new album.

The band hired famed producer Rick Rubin to be at the controls for the new project, tentatively titled "Less Is More."

20 tracks have been recorded with Rubin, who most recently produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers' hit album "By The Way." The album is the follow-up to 2000's "Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water."

Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers is now sharing guitar duties with Fred Durst, following the departure of guitarist Wes Borland.

The band are targeting a late 2002 or early 2003 release date for the project.

SOME BIG FAT FLOPS

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is one of 2002's best films. It is also one of the year's best surprises.

With $63.3 million in the bank so far, the $5 million "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" has embarrassed some summer films with far bigger stars.

"The Adventures of Pluto Nash," an Eddie Murphy comedy that cost nearly $100 million, took in just $3.8 million during its first two weeks and is quickly disappearing off screens.

"K-19: The Widowmaker," an adventure starring Harrison Ford is another $100 million flop - its domestic take to date is a mere $34.2 million.

"Greek Wedding" has even topped a movie with a reported pricetag of $120 million: "Stuart Little 2," which had taken in a mousy $59.6 million through last weekend.

And this Labour Day long weekend could see the film finally take the Number One position at the box office. That would make it the first film to ever hit the top spot after 20 weeks in release.

Trust me, go see it! You will like it!

Will It Be Dr. Octopus?

It's just a rumor so far...but Sony and director Sam Raimi are said to be eyeing Stellan Skarsgard (Good Will Hunting, The Glass House), for the Role of Dr. Octopus in the Spider-Man sequel. He will apparently be the movie's only villian, though there will be an appearance by one Dr. Kurt Connors...just not as the Lizard.

John Cleese an Angel?

They've already started shooting the Charlie's Angels sequel, but tht doesn't mean they can't add Cast members. According to ComingSoon, John Cleese will be playing the father of Lucy Liu. She is apparantly a big fan, and it's reported that she asked for him personally.

FEEL THE FORCE

20th Century Fox's Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones surpassing $300 million in domestic box office Tuesday, its 104th day in release, to become the 13th highest-grossing film in domestic history, just behind 1996's Independence Day.

Foo Fighters announce track listing

The Foo Fighters have announced the track listing for their upcoming fourth album, entitled "One By One."

A band spokesperson revealed the album's songs to MTV, which are as follows:

"All My Life"
"Low"
"Have It All"
"Times Like These"
"Disenchanted Lullaby"
"Tired of You"
"Halo"
"Lonely as You"
"Overdrive"
"Burn Away"
"Come Back"

The new album, which comes out Oct. 22 in the U.S. and Canada, is the follow-up to 1999's "There Is Nothing Left To Lose." The first single is "All My Life."

The new record is said to have a harder rocking sound than their last few studio efforts.

Frontman Dave Grohl explained the energy behind the songs on the new album to MTV: "This album was all about the energy of playing live," he said. "There's songs on all of the last records that we never play live. They are kind of studio songs". "This album, we thought, 'F--- it man, I want this album to be like a set list, like a show.'"

"Every one of the songs I would play every night. And we recorded it in like two weeks, a really short period of time, so that the energy of the performance is a little more frenetic, just more energetic. That's what the songs deserved."

Grohl, who signed on last year to man the drums on the new Queens of the Stone Age album "Songs For The Deaf," (out Tuesday) recently took time off from the Foos to hit the road with the California rockers on a short tour.

Other Than The Foo Fighters, Several Artists Are Also Hopeful About Their Fall Albums

This fall looks to have plenty of blockbuster releases from some of music's biggest acts — on paper, that is.

Whether Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake or Santana can match their previous multiplatinum efforts is among many question marks hovering over the recording industry.

"It's hard. Christina Aguilera has a new release — will that be big?" asks Mark Hogan, vice president of Trans World Entertainment, which owns the FYE! entertainment retail chain. "I don't know who it will be, but there always seems to be something that will come through that will surprise you."

Last year was filled with surprises, not all of them good. There were a number of disappointments or out-and-out flops from performers who had seemed surefire winners — Macy Gray, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, to name a few.

The industry remains mired in a slump; album sales this summer are down about 10 percent from last summer.

"I think the trend continues to be one of double-digit decreases in the music business," Hogan said. "It's still a tough business situation."

The fourth quarter is the most lucrative for the record industry; it's when most major releases are doled out and most music buying occurs.

This year, among the albums eagerly anticipated by retailers are a greatest-hits disc from the Rolling Stones, containing four new tracks; Santana's follow-up to his Grammy-winning "Supernatural"; Faith Hill's follow-up to her multi-platinum 1999 "Breathe"; and a collection of Elvis Presley hits that some believe could be as successful as the multi-platinum "1" from the Beatles two years ago.

"These are records that will bring people to the record store who maybe haven't been to the record store in a long time," said Bill Willson, vice president and general manager of AOL Music.

Other watched-for albums include ones from Jay-Z, India.Arie, Beck, Missy Elliott, Steve Earle and Craig David.

With seven Grammy nominations this year and a platinum-selling debut album, India.Arie has become one of the proven sellers on whom retailers are pinning their hopes. The singer says she's not nervous about sales expectations for her Sept. 24 release, "Voyage to India."

"That's cool, because then they give a little bit more attention to it," she said.

Alex Pappademas, an associate editor at Spin, says the fact that India.Arie is releasing her sophomore album just months after garnering so much attention at the Grammys can only help her.

"I don't think it's ever too soon. Frankly I think most people wait too long," he says.

One artist who has waited a long time between album releases is Houston, whose last full studio album was 1998's "My Love is Your Love." It sold more than 1 million copies but was not as successful as her previous albums.

Since then, Arista Records has resigned Houston to a $100 million contract, but she has been criticized for erratic behavior and has had to combat rumors of drug use. She took aim at her critics on the new disc's first single, "Whatchulookinat," but the uptempo song was panned and poorly received on radio. The as-yet-untitled album, originally scheduled for September release, is now set for November.

"She's in danger of just becoming a tabloid figure, where what's going on with her life is eclipsing the music," says Pappademas.

Another Arista Records act, TLC, will also be tested when their disc is released in November. Their most dynamic member, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, was killed in a car crash in Honduras. The two remaining members, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas, have decided to go on as a duo. While some songs were recorded before Lopes died, the group is also working on new material.

"It's sad, really, but in a way, they're probably going to have to market that as a memorial tribute album to her, and I don't know if that's necessarily going to fly," says Pappademas.

Aguilera's new disc follows her enormously successful, self-titled debut in 1999. Since then, she has transformed herself from a wholesome teen-pop powerhouse to a sexier, edgier diva. Whether that will win new fans — or keep old ones — remains to be seen.

The as-yet untitled disc is set for release Oct. 29. The first single, described as a funky R&B song featuring rapper Redman, is titled "Dirrty."

"There's always a sense with these teen-pop people that they are very micromanaged," says Pappademas. "She seems like she's breaking out and doing controversial things ... (but) there's always the possibility of a backlash against her, like, she's trying to be something she's not."

Two other veterans of the fading teen-pop genre also are coming out with albums. Timberlake of 'N Sync and Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys are to release solo debuts by Thanksgiving.

Pappademas believes that Timberlake's may be the season's hottest seller.

"There's going to be a lot of attention paid to this, because of all the boy-band types he seems to be the who will break out."

The Show Is Tonight And It Will Start With Bruce Springsteen!

The 2002 MTV Video Music Awards will be given out tonight!

Price of Elton John Tickets? 38,000 Grasshoppers

A concert by pop star Elton John had music fans hopping in Canada's farming heartland as they braved a plague of grasshoppers in an unusual quest to win a pair of tickets.

"All I kept thinking is, is this enough?" Brandy Elliott told Reuters on Wednesday after winning a radio contest for the prized tickets by capturing 38,000 grasshoppers.

"I knew I was grossed out and, honestly, every night I went to bed all I could dream about was grasshoppers -- and just bags and bags of grasshoppers," she said.

Elliott was one of more than 100 Saskatchewan residents to respond to the contest launched by a popular Regina radio show.

The rules were simple: whoever collected the most grasshoppers over a two-day period, would win the two highly coveted tickets to see Elton John at a sold-out concert.

"When we first thought of this contest we thought, oh you know, we might get a few hundred, maybe even a thousand grasshoppers from people. She (Brandy) showed up with 38,000 grasshoppers which blew us away," said Buzz Elliot, a morning show host on Z99, the station that launched the bug-gathering gimmick.

Elliott rigged up five-foot nets made out of window bug-screens and plastic tubing. She then recruited her room-mate and some young nephews and nieces to ride in the back of a large pick-up truck and help with the harvest.

"We drove in the ditches and stirred up the grasshoppers and they all just flew into the nets," said Elliott.

Her team, over a 10-hour period, managed to stuff two large garbage bags, a big bucket and several old detergent containers full of the grasshoppers, which have plagued Canada's drought-stricken Prairie provinces this summer.

Saskatchewan, a province known for its vast fields of wheat, also has a reputation for vast, cyclical grasshopper invasions. The green and brown insects devour crops and have even been known to eat the paint off of barns.

"You can't walk through a park without being pelted by them, basically. We just thought we'd have some fun with it," said Elliot, who is also the music director at Z99.

"It was way beyond our expectations. It just goes to show you that people will do anything for Elton John tickets."

The British rocker will perform in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Friday to an audience of about 13,000.

What The...!?!? Who the...!?!?

CBS is scouting for 'Real'-Life Beverly Hillbillies.

After A Record Breaking Summer Comes A Familiar Fall

The Fall movie season starts next week.

The Dixie Chicks Find Their Way Home

The country music industry has been in a quandary over what direction to head next -- well, they can find their answer in Home, the Dixie Chicks' new album.

The genre has been torn between traditional country (ie. O Brother Where Art Thou?) or new, pop-influenced, country (Faith Hill), which have both proved top sellers.

Now, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire have cut the perfect path.
They have not compromised and found a route down the middle, combining the best of both.

Recorded in a small Texas studio away from Nashville's influences and produced by the Chicks and Maines' father Lloyd Maines, Home is foremost a honest, from-the-heart record.

The Dixie Chicks have returned to their roots, which they so obviously love and admire, giving Home a more distinctive bluegrass mood than their previous two offerings. Robison and Maguire get to shine more than in the past and Maines stretches her vocals in new directions.

But this trio doesn't just respectfully revisit the old; they manage to give it a hip edge, making it "new country" without the baggage.

This is a musician's album, that still manages to welcome the average listener. Since the Chicks have earned superstar status, it's more likely radio will find a way to embrace Home.

* Long Time Gone (Darrell Scott): The first single is a perfect bridge between albums. It's as catchy as their previous hits, but introduces bluegrass and homey elements.

* Landslide (Stevie Nicks): Maines' voice was made for this remake and Robison's banjo makes the tune all Dixie Chick.

* Travelin' Soldier (Bruce Robison): Written by Emily's brother-in-law, this more acoustic song is particularly poignant in the post-Sept. 11 world.

* Truth #2 (Patty Griffin): Written by Griffin, an opening act on the Fly tour, this gutsy song grows on you with each listen.

* White Trash Wedding (Robison, Maguire, Maines): This silly little tune allows the Chicks and listeners to have fun.

* A Home (Maia Sharp, Randy Sharp): A stunner which explores the regret of a failed relationship and the empty home it has created.

* More Love (Tim O'Brien, Gary Nicholson): A more radio-friendly song from a bluegrass buddy.

* I Believe in Love (Maguire, Maines, Marty Stuart): This fantastic song has uplifting lyrics combined with haunting music.

* Tortured, Tangled Hearts (Maines, Maguire, Stuart): Bluegrass rules in this definite hit.

* Lil' Jack Slade (Robison, Maguire, Lloyd Maines, Teri Hendrix): An instrumental allowing Maguire and Robison to really strut their stuff. Named for Maines' son Jackson Slade.

* Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) (Radney Foster): This beautiful remake gets a power boost from Maines and Robison who are both in "mommy mode." And when you listen to it knowing Foster wrote it for his three-year-old son who was moving away, it will truly bring tears to your eyes.

* Top of the World (Griffin): Perhaps the Chicks' biggest departure -- it is emotional, but not as accessible as the rest of the CD.

Tom Cavanagh to Guest Star on 'Scrubs'

"Ed" star Tom Cavanagh and "Scrubs" lead Zach Braff bear a strong resemblance to one another. You could say they look enough alike to be brothers.

The producers of "Scrubs" must have thought so too, because Cavanagh will play Braff's older brother in an episode of the show this fall.

The Halloween-themed episode will air Thursday, Oct. 31. Cavanagh's character will pay a visit to J.D. (Braff) at the hospital where J.D. works as a second-year resident. Braff's TV family also includes John Ritter (ABC's "8 Simple Rules" ), who played J.D.'s dad in an episode last season.

Cavanagh returns for "Ed's" third season on Oct. 2, where Ed is presumably still pining for Carol Vessey (Julie Bowen) while insisting he's not.

Miller's 'Live' Is Over

After Friday, Aug. 30, "Dennis Miller Live" will live no more.

The nine-year-old HBO series ends its 215-episode run with a visit from actor Vince Vaughn. The "Swingers" star will discuss "Confidence" with Miller.

Each episode of the series opened with a monologue by Miller, a rant about the week's topic, a live chat with a guest, viewer call-ins and a wrap-up of the week's events. Past guests included celebrities like Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Jerry Seinfeld. The show also featured political figures like Bill Bradley, Joycelyn Elders and Ann Richards.

"Dennis Miller Live" was the first of what would be several HBO series to win an Emmy. The show has won five awards since its April 1994 debut.

Miller is looking toward the future now that "Live" is ending. "It's been a great run, and now I’m ready to try something new," he says.

The final episode airs on Friday, Aug. 30 on HBO at 11:30 p.m. ET, and in Canada at 9:30 EST on Tuesday, September 2nd.

ABC Greenlights A 'Romy and Michele's High School Reunion' Prequel

ABC has greenlit a two-hour TV movie prequel to the 1997 feature film "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion."

The project, tentatively "Romy and Michele: Behind the Velvet Rope," takes place in the early 1990s, before the events depicted in the feature, which starred Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow. The TV movie follows the best friends as they head to Hollywood after graduating from high school.

The picture could also serve as a backdoor pilot leading to a series.

Cast and shooting location are to be determined, though a premiere on ABC is likely sometime this coming TV season.

Senator to Seek Justice on 'Law & Order'

It's official. Retiring Republican Senator Fred Thompson is returning to acting this fall, playing a conservative district attorney on NBC's long-running series "Law & Order," producers said on Tuesday.

Thompson, 60, who announced earlier this year that he will leave the Senate when his term expires in January, will become the first member of Congress to appear as a TV show regular while still in office.

The 13th season of "Law & Order," currently the longest- running show on TV, premieres Oct. 2, with Thompson joining the cast as the newly elected New York City district attorney.

Thompson's character replaces interim D.A. Nora Lewin, played for two seasons by Dianne Wiest, who will not return to the show. She took over for Steven Hill, who had portrayed D.A. Adam Schiff since the series debut in 1990 and was the last original cast member to leave the series.

The election of Thompson's character is "definitely a reaction to 9/11," said Michael Chernuchin, an executive producer of the series. "His political leanings are a little more to the right than former D.A.s on the show. He is a 'strict constructionist.' That is, for him, the Constitution is what it says and it is nothing more."

Thompson also will appear occasionally on two spin-off series, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," according to Universal Television, a unit of Vivendi Universal .

The ripped-from-the-headlines drama about New York City police detectives and prosecutors ranked last season as the fifth-highest rated series on U.S. television. The show, from veteran producer Dick Wolf, has garnered a record 11 straight Emmy nominations as best drama series, winning the coveted award in 1997.

Thompson, who once said life in Washington made him "long for the sincerity and realism of Hollywood," announced in March he would not seek re-election this year because he "simply did not have the heart for another six-year term."

The Tennessee Republican, who previously served as a federal prosecutor and Senate Watergate counsel, won a special election to a two-year Senate term in 1994. He won a full six-year term in 1996.

Before his Senate career, Thompson appeared in more than a dozen Hollywood films, including "In the Line of Fire," "Die Hard 2" and "The Hunt for Red October."

Several lawmakers on Capitol Hill found fame on television before serving in Congress, including the late Sonny Bono, Fred Grandy, who played Gopher on "The Love Boat," and Ben Jones, who was Cooter on "The Dukes of Hazzard." And many incumbent politicians have made guest appearances on TV shows over the years.

Wanna Be In A Kevin Smith Movie?

I you have ever wanted to be in a movie with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Smith wants to give you a chance.

The writer-director is recruiting extras (the speaking parts are already taken) for his movie "Jersey Girl" through his Web site, viewaskew.com.

Contenders must submit a photo, contact information and statistics (age, gender, height and weight) by Friday.

CD Sales Further Decline

Compact disc music sales decreased 7 percent during the first half of the year, a further indication that online music sharing sites are hurting the recording industry, a trade group said Monday.

The decline cost the industry $284 million in lost sales, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

The decline, measured by PricewaterhouseCoopers, compares with a 5.3 percent drop in CD shipments in the first half of 2001. The RIAA said the industry uses just-in-time delivery, so CD shipments are reliably indicative of actual sales.

Also Monday, the RIAA released a separate survey of Internet users' music habits, which found that most consumers between the ages of 12 and 54 bought fewer CDs as they downloaded more tracks.

Previous studies independent of the music industry have suggested that access to free music on the Web actually encourages consumers to experiment with new acts and buy more CDs.

"We find a striking connection between people who say they are downloading more and buying less," said Geoff Garin, the pollster for Peter D. Hart Research Associates, who conducted the random telephone survey of 860 consumers for the RIAA in May. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

Of consumers polled whose downloading increased during the last six months, 41 percent reported buying less music, compared with 19 percent who said they were purchasing more, he said.

Among those polled who said they were downloading the same amount as six months earlier, 25 percent said they purchased less music, compared with 13 percent who bought more, Garin said.

The survey also reported that 35 percent said they go straight to an Internet file sharing site whenever they hear an unfamiliar artist they like. Only 10 percent reported that they immediately buy the artist's album.

The poll did not provide information about consumer attitudes on other factors widely considered to be affecting CD sales, including the quality of new releases and the lack of easy-to-use online services from the major recording labels.

"I very strongly conclude that the ability to get music for free is an important factor and has an adverse effect on music purchasing. I would not argue that it is the one and only factor," Garin said.

Serena in U.S. Open Fashion Stir

World No. 1 Serena Williams created a fashion stir during her 6-2 6-3 first-round win Monday over fellow American Corina Morariu at the U.S. Open.

Stepping out onto the Arthur Ashe court in a short-legged, all-in-one, black leather-look, skin-tight outfit with pink wristbands and a diamond tiara, the younger Williams exposed her personality and whole lot more to the large opening day crowd.

While immediate reviews seemed split, the Williams family fashion critic and design student, Venus, gave her sibling the stamp of approval.

"She (Venus) really liked it," said Serena. "She said it was a great outfit. It is really fun and really exciting and very sexy ... I mean she just basically described me."

Two years ago, it was Venus who made a fashion statement at the Australian Open with a plunging, halter-top design that also revealed more of the American's charms than maybe was intended.

Serena acknowledged that her outfit would not be to everyone's taste.

"This is a cat suit, it's made of Lycra and it's supposed to have the illusion of looking a little bit like leather from a distance," said Serena. "It sticks to the body, it really sticks to what type of shape you have.

"If you don't have a decent shape this isn't the best outfit to have."

Sony Takes Axe to Betamax

What VHS couldn't do, digital did. Sony Corp's Betamax video tape recorder, which famously lost the 1980s video format war but held on for decades as a niche product, will finally be laid to rest after digital formats delivered a death blow to its prospects.

Sony said on Tuesday it would only make 2,000 more Betamax machines before discontinuing the product altogether, ending its 27-year history -- spent mostly in the shadow of the Matsushita group's rival VHS format.

"With digital machines and other new recording formats taking hold in the market, demand has continued to decline and it has become difficult to secure parts," Sony said in a statement.

Betamax -- held up as an example of how the first to market is not guaranteed commercial success -- had already been pulled from overseas markets in the 1990s, a Sony spokesman said.

Production of the machine in the last business year to March totaled 2,800 units, a tiny fraction of the 2.3 million made in the peak year of 1984 and the 18 million made over its lifetime.

Sony said it would continue to offer repairs and manufacture tapes for the format, adding the move would not affect its Betacam products for the broadcasting industry.

Rapid sales growth in digital versatile disc (DVD) players and recorders has posed a threat in recent years not just to the remnants of Betamax but to the mainstream VHS videotape recorders pioneered by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, maker of Panasonic goods, and Victor Co of Japan, a subsidiary.

In the DVD arena as well, the industry is groping for ways to set standards without risking a destructive format war.

A fragmentation of standards for DVD recorders has been blamed for delaying the take-off of that market, and a potential format war is also brewing over next-generation DVD products.

Sony, Matsushita and seven other industry giants joined hands early this year on a common format for DVD players using blue laser light, which are due out as early as next year and will vastly increase disc storage capacity.

But Toshiba Corp, a pioneer in DVD technology, said this week it aimed to offer an alternative blue-laser format it believes will be cheaper and more compatible with existing red-laser technology.

Today's New Releases

Well, they have been a long time gone, but my beloved Dixie Chicks return today with their new disc "Home." Sadly, you don't get to take any of the Chicks hoem when you pick it up, but you do get some great music!

Let's see, are there any of today's other new releases that I would call great...OH! AIMEE MANN! That one is great, but you have to really like her music, or the sound of 'Til Tuesday, to like it, so...well, actually, there are some great discs coming out today!

Take a look!

Here are the new CD releases for Tuesday, August 27th, 2002:

* ABBA The Definitive Collection (DVD) (Polydor)
* AIMEE MANN Lost In Space (Outside Music)
* ANNE MURRAY Country Croonin': 30 Timeless Country Classic (EMI)
* BBMAK Into Your Head (Hollywood)
* BEL BIV DEVOE Best Of (MCA)
* BILLY PRESTON Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* BLACK UHURU Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* BLACKHAWK Spirit Dancer (Columbia)
* BREAKING BENJAMIN Saturate (Hollywood)
* BURNING SPEAR Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* CATTLE DECAPITATION To Serve Man (Metal Blade)
* CHICAGO Chicago V (Remaster) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago VI (Remaster) (Rhino)
* COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head (EMI)
* DIAGA Diaga (D.W. Records)
* DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Irony Is A Dead Scene (Epitaph)
* DINAH WASHINGTON Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* DIVISION OF LAURA LEE Black City (Burning Heart)
* DIXIE CHICKS Home (Sony)
* DONOVAN The Very Best Of The Early Years (Castle Music)
* DUNCAN SHEIK Daylight (Atlantic)
* DWIGHT PINKNEY More Memories (VP)
* ED THE SOCK Unwashed Collection
* EVE Eve-Olution (Interscope)
* FASTBALL The Best Of (Hollywood)
* GINO VANNELLI Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* GORDON GANO Hitting The Ground (Cooking Vinyl/True North)
* GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS Ladies Love Oracle (Rounder)
* HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH TBD (Hootie & The Blowfish) (Atlantic)
* JEFFREY STEELE Somethin' In The Water (Sony Nashville)
* JENE Jene's Reign (Motown)
* JIMI HENDRIX Smash Hits (Remaster) (MCA)
* JIMMY FALLON The Bathroom Wall (DreamWorks)
* JOAN OSBORNE Womanly Hips
* JULEE CRUISE The Art Of Being A Girl (Water Music Records/Universal)
* JUNIOR KIMBROUGH You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough (Fat Possum)
* KISS Very Best Of (Mercury)
* LLOYD PRICE Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* MAGIC SLIM & THE TEARDROPS Blue Magic (Stony Plain)
* MILES HUNT The Miles Hunt Club (Eagle Rock Records/EMI Canada)
* MONTGOMERY GENTRY My Town (Columbia)
* MOONGLOWS Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* MS. JADE Girl Interrupted (Interscope)
* P.O.D. Satellite (Special Edition) (Atlantic)
* POPA CHUBBY The Good The Bad And The Chubby (Stony Plain)
* PULP FICTION OST Pulp Fiction OST (Collectors Edition) (MCA)
* QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Songs For The Deaf (Interscope)
* RAMONES End Of The Century (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Pleasent Dreams (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Subterranean Jungle (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RAMONES Too Tough To Die (Remaster) (Rhino)
* RINGO STARR Ringo & His New All-Starr Band (King Biscuit Flower Hour)
* SEPULTURA Chaos (DVD Video) (Roadrunner)
* SHANGRI-LAS Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* SINGING MELODY Expressions (VP)
* STAGGERED CROSSING Last Summer When We Were Famous (Independent)
* STONE SOUR Stone Sour (Roadrunner)
* STROKE 9 Rip It Off (Universal)
* THE MUSIC Take The Long Road And Walk It (Capitol)
* THE WHO My Generation (Deluxe Edition) (MCA)
* TOBY KEITH Totally Toby (DVD/VHS) (Dreamworks Nashville)
* TONY FURTADO American Gypsy (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Frosh 5 (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The Angels Are Singing (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS World 2002 (Hemisphere)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Soca 101 Volume 2 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 3 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 4 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Party Time (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Snoop Dogg Presents Doggy Style Allstars (DVD) (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The Best Of Doo Wop (Hip-O)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Pop Dreamers (Universal)
* WIDE MOUTH MASON Rained Out Parade (Domestic)
* ZAWOSE & BROOK Assembly (Real World/Narada)

Today's New Releases

Well, the titles that we were all waiting for last week in Canada have been delayed. But until when? When we we get to see the SPECIAL EDITIONS of PULP FICTION and JACKIE BROWN?!?! Today? Next week!??

I have no answer for you. And unfortunately, one of the titles that MIGHT see the light of day today, the SPECIAL EDITION of RESERVOIR DOGS, could be delayed as well.

So, what you see here is a slew of titles that are SUPPOSED to come out today, that is unless situations occur that prevents them from arriving (meaning some idiot screwed up and we are forced to suffer due to their moronic nature).

So good luck! And if the title that you are looking for is in stores and available, well then count yourself lucky!

Here are the new DVD and video titles "scheduled" for release today, Tuesday, August 27th, 2002:

UP FIRST, THE MAJOR TITLES

The Rookie- A great movie about a High school baseball coach who tries to be a big league player. (Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez)

High Crimes- A lawyer defends her husband against military accusations. (Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Jim Caviezel)

The Queen Of The Damned- Lestat returns as a rock star and women obsess over him in what may be one of 2002 worst movies. (Aaliyah, Vincent Perez, Lena Olin)

Crush- Three English women meet and swap sex stories. (Andie MacDowell, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor)

Dahmer- The true story of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. (Jeremy Renner, Artel Kayaru, Matt Newton)

Farscape: Season 2, Volume 1- The second volume of the second season of the TV series. (Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Virginia Hey)

The Sopranos: The Complete Third Season- The complete third season of The Sopranos. (James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco)

Strictly Sinatra- A lounge singer is brought into the world of the mob. (Ian Hart, Kelly Macdonald, Brian Cox)

Reservoir Dogs: Special Edition- The Tarantino flick that started it all is available in five different packages. Keep in mind, the one that will be the hardest to find is the one featuring Mr. Brown. (Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen)

AND THEN THERE IS ALL THE REST

The Alfred Nobel Story (B&W)
Amazons
Anaconda (Superbit)
Anywhere But Here
Are You Being Served: Classic Years Vol
Barney: Round And Round We Go
The Believers
Best Laid Plans (Special Edition)
Beyond Suspicion
Big (Full Screen)
Big Trouble In Little China
Born To Lose
The Bourne Identity
A Bucket Of Blood
A Bullet For Sandoval
Capone's Boys
Castle Freak
Cat People (Widescreen)
Christina's House
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (Collector's Edition)
Crush
Dahmer
Dandelion Dead
Daria Movie: Is It College Yet?
Dead Hate The Living
Death Ring
Def Leppard: Hysteria
Downtown 81 (Special Edition)
Dr. Dolittle (Full Screen)
Dr. Dolittle 2 (Full Screen)
Edge Of Sanity
The Education Of Sonny Carson
The Erotic Time Machine
Erotica
Fangs Of The Living Dead
Farscape: Season 2, Volume 1
Fart: The Movie
Femalien (Ultimate Edition Unrated)
Fight Club
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
The Fog (Special Edition)
The Game
Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai
Hammer Down
Head Of The Family
Hellchild & The World Of Nick Lyon
Hercules Against The Moon Men
High Crimes
Homework
The Honeymooners 6 Box Set (Set)
The Honeymooners Vol 23
The Honeymooners Vol 24
The Horrible Doctor Bones
Horrorvision
The House Next Door
I Love Lucy: Lost Episodes
The Incubus
The Iron Chef
Jeepers Creepers
Jericho
Johnny Dangerously
Killing Zoe
Kiss Of The Dragon (Widescreen)
Kiss Of The Dragon (Full Screen)
A Knight's Tale (Superbit)
Kung Fu Zombie
Larryboy: Leggo My Eggo
Lassie's Great Adventure
Last House On The Left
Laughing Boy
Lawrence Of Arabia
The Life And Times Of Hank Greenberg
The Life Of Birds
The Limey
The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Little House On The Prairie
Little Odessa
Lone Ranger: Lost Episodes
A Long Time Since
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
Miss Marple Mysteries
Mrs. Doubtfire (Widescreen)
Mrs. Doubtfire (Full Screen)
Muffy The Vampire Slayer
My Brother Tom (2-discs)
My Man Godfrey/His Girl Friday Set (Set)
Needful Things
Never Met Picasso
Office Space (Full Screen)
The Omega Code
On The Run
Peanuts: Holiday Gift Set
Prince Caspian & The Voyage Of The Dawn
Project Human Weapon
The Return Of The Living Dead
The Royal Wedding/Last Time I Saw Paris
Rumpole Of The Bailey
Schoolhouse Rock: 30th Anniversary Editi
Scratch The Surface
Shaolin Drunk Monkey
Shaolin Temple Against Lama
Sherlock Holmes And The Deadly Necklace
Silver Chair
Simply Irresistible
Slammin' Sammy
Sleepy Heads
Snuff Bottle Connection
The Sound Of Music (Full Screen)
Spongebob Squarepants: Halloween
Straightman
Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
Strictly Sinatra
Stripped
Subspecies 4: Bloodstorm
Suicide Kings
Tales Of Terror
The Teen Wolf Collection (Set)
Three Stooges: Cops And Robbers
The Turn Of The Screw
Two Dragons Fight Against Tiger
Ulyssess S. Grant
Vampire Journals
The Vampire Vixen
Vampire's Kiss
The Warrior And The Sorceress
The Way Of The Gun
Winnie The Pooh: Spookable Pooh And Fran
Wolfhound
Wolfhound (Unrated)
Woman On Top
Wrestling With Alligators
Zulu

HE'S BACK!

New Line Cinema cinching a deal to bring TV's MacGyver to the big screen. It's likely that Richard Dean Anderson, who played the unsinkable secret agent, will be back in a cameo role, while the character is turned over to a younger actor.

HOSPITALIZED

Country music legend Johnny Cash checking into a Nashville hospital Monday after suffering an allergic reaction to either food or medicine, his manager said. His doctors don't think the problem is serious, but they may keep the 70-year-old overnight for observation.

Celebs Enlist for Fox 'Boot Camp' Special

Celebs including rapper Coolio and former pop idol Tiffany have signed on to participate in the two-hour Fox special "Celebrity Boot Camp," which will air Sept. 30.

Taped at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base's Camp DeLuz, the special will follow the recruits as they complete mental and physical tasks.

Two former Marine Corps drill instructors will shuffle the celebs through various missions; they'll then rank the strongest players and eliminate the four weakest. Elimination continues until just two celebs are still standing.

The two finalists will compete in a series of eight competitions (called the "Gauntlet") and vie to become the winner. The top recruit is chosen by the mix of votes and "Gauntlet" victories.

Others on board include house guest Kato Kaelin; "Married...With Children's" David Faustino; surviving ex-Milli Vanilli member Fabrice Morvan; "Baywatch" babe Traci Bingham; singer Vitamin C; "Renegade" star Lorenzo Lamas; "Brady Bunch" star Barry Williams; and "Price Is Right" spokesmodel Nikki Schieler Ziering.

The special is based on the reality series "Boot Camp," which aired on Fox in spring 2001. It started off strong for Fox but eventually tapered off with viewers.

Guns N' Roses Taps Weezer As Opener, Band Used In Football Noise Drill

Guns N' Roses has tapped Weezer as its opening act on Monday night (August 26) at the London Arena. GN'R singer Axl Rose was impressed with Rivers Cuomo and company after catching them from the side of the stage during a festival in Tokyo earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Guns N' Roses is helping the Arkansas State football team prepare for the season. The band's music is being blasted at players to simulate crowd noise so the team can use hand signals to communicate instead of communicating verbally. The team was scheduled to play Virginia Tech on Sunday (August 25).

In other Weezer news, the live EP The Lion And The Witch, recorded during the band's recent 2002 World Cup Tour, is due out at select independent record stores on September 24.

Brian Wilson Guest Stars On Richard Ashcroft's 'Human Conditions'

Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson guest stars on the second solo album from ex-Verve singer Richard Ashcroft, Human Conditions, due October 22 on Virgin Records.

The new album follows Ashcroft's 2000 solo bow, Alone With Everybody, and features 10 new songs, with Wilson singing harmony vocals on "Nature Is The Law." The first single in the U.K. will be "Check The Meaning," out on October 7, but no U.S. single had announced at press time.

Musicians on the album include former Verve drummer Pete Salisbury, who played with Ashcroft on Alone With Everybody; keyboardist Chuck Leavell, a veteran of tour and session work with the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and his own band, Sea Level; and Mercury Music Prize winner Talvin Singh on tablas. Ashcroft co-produced the album with Chris Potter, and Will Malone handled the string arrangements.

The tracklisting for Richard Ashcroft's Human Conditions is: "Check The Meaning," "Buy It In Bottles," "Bright Lights," "Paradise," "God In The Numbers,""Science Of Silence," "Man On A Mission," "Running Away," "Lord I've Been Trying," and "Nature Is The Law."

Prince To Release First Live Album

Prince will release his first-ever compilation of live material in the upcoming boxed set titled One Night Alone. The singer made the announcement via his NPG Music Club website, where members can download exclusive musical content from the "Purple One" to their computers.

This new collection features songs all recorded during the artist's critically acclaimed One Night Alone tour, which visited several cities in the U.S. and Canada earlier this year. For the outing, Prince and the New Power Generation hit the stage each night with no pre-determined set list, and without the fanfare of large stage production elements. The results of this approach gave fans simply the man and his music, which is captured on the One Night Alone set.

While all the tracks appearing on the release have not been announced, we do know that One Night Alone will contain the songs "Adore," "When You Were Mine," "The Everlasting Now," "The Beautiful Ones," "Condition Of The Heart," "Strange Relationship," "Anna Stesia," "Diamonds And Pearls," "Xenophobia," "Take Me With U," "Raspberry Beret," "Joy In Repetition," "Alphabet Street," "Nothing Compares 2 U," "I Wanna B Your Lover," and "Rainbow Children." The exact release date had not been announced as of press time.

Santana Films New Video With Michelle Branch In Chicago

Carlos Santana shot a video for his upcoming album Shaman on Thursday and Friday (August 22 and 23). The clip for the song "Game Of Love" features young pop tart Michelle Branch, and was shot in Chicago, coinciding with Santana's Friday show at the Tweeter Center in nearby Tinley Park, Illinois.

Sources for both Santana and Branch were unsure whether "Game Of Love" would be the first single released from Shaman, which is due October 22.

While the guitarist has been tight-lipped about other guests on Shaman, it's known that opera tenor Placido Domingo and the Los Angeles group Ozomatli appear on the album, while Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas--who sang and co-wrote "Smooth" from Santana's 1999 collection Supernatural--told LAUNCH he did some writing for Shaman but did not expect to appear on it. Nu-metal stars P.O.D. have also done some recording for the album, but it's unknown whether that track will make the final cut.

More Summer Movies Get Set for Fall Video Release

"XXX" and "Stuart Little 2" will join a busy Sony fall video release schedule that also includes the newly announced "Men in Black II" on Nov. 26.

Fourth-quarter DVD and VHS releases already include "Spider-Man" (Nov. 1), "Mr. Deeds" (Oct. 22) and "Enough" (Oct. 8). "Panic Room" will be released on Sept. 17.

Warner Bros. recently announced an unusual Friday release date for "Scooby-Doo" on Oct. 11. (Most titles are released on Tuesdays.)

Other summer theatrical hits being released on video this fall include Paramount's "Sum of All Fears" (Oct. 29), Fox's "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" (Nov. 12), DreamWorks' "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" (Nov. 19) and Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" (Dec. 3). Dates for Fox's "Minority Report" and New Line's "Austin Powers in Goldmember" will be announced soon.

"MIB II," which has generated box office of about $190 million at North American theaters, will be available in a double-disc special edition DVD that will include an alternate ending. Fox will release "Ice Age" on the same date.

If you want to laugh, then Check this out!

OSCAR CONTENDERS COMING ON LIKE GANGBUSTERS

As usual, the bulk of this year's Oscar contenders will hit theaters in a frenzied three-week rush before the end of the year.

The heaviest expectations await Martin Scorsese's 18th-century epic "Gangs of New York," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. Carrying a price tag well north of $100 million, Miramax postponed its original December 2001 release - supposedly out of concern that post-9/11 audiences wouldn't be receptive to its bloody depiction of New York City draft riots.

DiCaprio also headlines as Frank Abnagale, a real-life con man who successfully impersonated a pilot, professor and other professionals, in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me if You Can," co-starring Mr. Oscar himself, Tom Hanks, as the FBI man on Abnagale's trail.

"Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," the second episode in the trilogy with Elijah Wood and the rest of the hobbit-dwarf-elf gang, is aiming to be the first sequel to nab a Best Picture nomination since "The Godfather Part III."

And then there's the long-in-the-works version of the Broadway musical "Chicago," starring the unlikely song-and-dance trio of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Renée Zellweger.

Nicole Kidman is back with "The Hours," unrecognizably de-glammed as early 20th-century author Virginia Woolf. Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Ed Harris co-star in this adaptation of Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

Major stars' turns are anticipated from Oscar winners Jack Nicholson, as a crisis-stricken retiree in Alexander Payne's "About Schmidt;" Kevin Spacey in Alan Parker's "The Life of David Gale," as a falsely accused prof who ends up on death row; Edward Norton as a stockbroker busted for dealing drugs in Spike Lee's "The 25th Hour" - and the irrepressible Roberto Begnini as "Pinocchio."

Streep plays a magazine writer and Nicolas Cage stars as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman in "Adaptation," another mind-blowing comedy from director Spike Jonze and, well, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the team behind the bizarre "Being John Malkovich"

That may be mild stuff next to "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," which depicts "Gong Show" host Chuck Barris' claim that he was simultaneously a CIA hit man. Sam Rockwell stars with Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts and George Clooney, in his directorial debut.

Newly minted Oscar-winner Denzel Washington is also working behind the cameras for the first time on "The Antwone Fisher Story," directing newcomer Derek Luke as a juvenile offender turned screenwriter.

And finally, a couple of contenders for the second Oscar in the new Best Animated Picture category: Disney's big-budget "Treasure Planet" and "The Wild Thornberries," a TV spinoff from Paramount and Nickelodeon.

Here's A Report On Christina Aguilera's Next Disc

Christina Aguilera's gearing up to finally unveil "her baby."

That's how record industry insiders are referring to the singer's much-anticipated album, on which she's staking her transition from pop princess to artist-in-command.

The first single, "Dirrty," featuring hip-hop star Redman, will show up next month along with a "Dirrty" video directed by Paul Hunter. The song's described as having a very urban feel.

The yet-untitled RCA album now has an Oct. 29 release date -- and you can be sure the firecracker talent will be making the talk and music show rounds, in addition to getting cover girl treatment. Christina wrote and co-produced much of the album (which was originally anticipated in June), working with the very hot producer Rockwilder.

Has It?

Has the world really changed since last September?

Almanac Predicts Snowy Winter

If last winter's mild weather kept your snow shovel buried beneath beach towels and tanning butter, the Farmers' Almanac recommends dusting it off this fall.

We can expect heavy snow and colder-than-normal temperatures, according to this year's edition.

"We are predicting a rough winter, with severe weather patterns that gradually shift eastward as the winter progresses," writes Caleb Weatherbee, the pseudonym used by the almanac's forecaster.

The 186-year-old almanac, which goes on sale Tuesday, made similar prognostications last winter. Those predictions, based on a secret model known to only two people that takes into account sunspot activity, planet position, and effects of the moon, were mostly wrong.

It forecast several feet of snow last year for New England, but the region had warmer-than-normal temperatures — the toastiest winter ever recorded in Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vt. — and a dearth of snow.

Perhaps the editors can be forgiven: Between La Ninas and El Ninos, and talk of climatic change, there has been some weird weather, including droughts in the United States and flooding in Europe.

The winter forecasts, which date back to Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac in the mid-1700s, have become a signpost of Americana. Fretting about their accuracy seems almost beside the point.

Editors insist the almanac's winter forecast has historically been accurate about 75 to 80 percent of the time, even though most meteorologists say the weather cannot be predicted so far in advance.

Such judgments don't seem to faze the publication's editor, who says long-range predictions fill an important niche.

When the Farmers' Almanac, not to be confused with the Old Farmer's Almanac in New Hampshire, began publishing in 1818, almanacs provided the only weather forecasts available.

Back then, the predictions were used mostly by farmers. Nowadays, they may be used more often to pick wedding dates, said editor Peter Geiger.

"I think you use different forecasts for different reasons," he said, also acknowledging: "People do judge us."

Actor Priestley Out of Hospital

Actor Jason Priestley was released Saturday from an Indianapolis hospital where he spent 12 days recovering from injuries sustained in a crash at Kentucky Speedway.

Priestley was released from Methodist Hospital late Saturday morning, hospital spokeswoman Penny Johnson said. She said she did not know where Priestley had been taken after his discharge.

The actor's doctors had said earlier in the week that he would soon be moved from the hospital to a physical rehabilitation center.

The 32-year-old former "Beverly Hills 90210" star was badly hurt Aug. 11 when his open-wheel car spun out of control at 180 mph and hit the wall nearly head-on during practice for the Infiniti Pro Series, a developmental circuit for the IRL.

The day after the crash, Priestley was moved from a Kentucky hospital to Methodist Hospital, where doctors repaired fractures on back and feet. They also operated on his injured nose and one of his eyes.

Doctors have said that Priestley is expected to make a full recovery.

The Summer Movie Season Is Over

The alien-invasion tale "Signs" climbed back to the Number 1 spot at the weekend box office with a $14.4 million haul in its fourth weekend.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Signs," $14.4 million.

2. "XXX," $13.7 million.

3. "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," $7.8 million.

4. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," $7.6 million.

5. "Blue Crush," $6.5 million.

6. "Serving Sara," $6.1 million.

7. "Austin Powers in Goldmember," $5.6 million.

8. "Undisputed," $4.7 million.

9. "Simone," $4.1 million.

10. "Blood Work," $2.9 million.

Hip to be Square for Reynolds

Burt Reynolds will be among the stars sitting in the centre square when the syndicated game show Hollywood Squares returns next month.

Reynolds, who appeared on the original Squares in the '60s, has signed for a two-week stint. Other centre square signings include Ellen DeGeneres and Alec Baldwin.

Whoopi Goldberg, also a former producer on the show, split in a recent Squares housecleaning. New executive producer Henry "The Fonz" Winkler has decided on a rotating series of centre square stars until a new Paul Lynde can be found.

Aerosmith Looks For Next Album

Fresh off of JUST PUSH PLAY and their greatest hits album, Aerosmith is already looking to develop their next album, which they say will be different from their usual stylings. Said bassist Tom Hamilton, "We're exploring doing a record that's sort of about our roots, and whether that's a blues record or something like that, we're really not sure. We're talking about it kind of in general terms right now. But we feel like the moment is perfect for us to go and start looking at things and doing things the way we did when we first started."

NFL, Loews Usher in Film Trailer

Relief may be on the way for moviegoers who seethe at the guy behind them who can't stop talking during the movie.

NFL Films has produced a tongue-in-cheek 75-second trailer that will run before movies on the 2,448 screens owned by Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

In the spot, a loudmouthed boor is blabbing away at the screen when two burly ushers, played by Michael Strahan of the New York Giants and Bruce Smith of the Washington Redskins, pull the disruptive patron out of his seat and frog-march him to a room in the back of the theater where a judge played by Tony Siragusa, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, doles out the punishment. Tim Couch of the Cleveland Brown also has a role in the spot.

The trailer, which starts playing in Loews multiplexes this weekend, is the highlight of a national promotion campaign engineered by the NFL and Loews Cineplex called "Lights, Camera, Kickoff."

"The NFL has always wanted to extend its brand into entertainment areas, and this is a potentially good vehicle for the league," said John McCauley, VP of marketing for Loews Cineplex Entertainment.

The deal could work for both parties, said McCauley, as ESPN Sports polls show that NFL fans are 35% more likely to go to the movies every week than the rest of the U.S. population.

In exchange for the NFL putting up the money to produce the spot, Loews will hand out booklets at each movie showing that feature an NFL TV schedule, information about fantasy football, discounts on merchandise from the NFL Shop and an entry form for a contest to get a free screening with an NFL player.

NFL players in 15 cities with a Loews multiplex also will attend premieres of movies with children sponsored by local charities.

Wait No Longer!

Here is your first look at X-MEN 2!

Wanna better look at the 4-disc Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - Extended DVD Version due on 11/12? Well here you go!

Don't Miss This!

It's not every day you get the opportunity to watch a video of Leonard Nimoy singing The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.

The dogs and delights of the summer cinema

Some stars are born at the summer movies. Other stars fizzle out. Sleeper hits come from nowhere and spawn series, while sequels to blockbusters bomb and end the franchise right there. Yes, summer can be cruel.

USA TODAY's Andy Seiler navigates through some of the top winners and losers of summer 2002:

Winning couple: Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. They were already two of the most appealing young actors in movies. Now they are superstars — at least in as many Spider-Man movies as they'd care to make.

Losing couple: Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock in Bad Company. An honest title, at least: They put these two together to keep company, and the result was bad.

Winning action star: Vin Diesel. His much-hyped XXX opened at $44.5 million, which is pretty amazing for a newly minted movie star in a film that didn't get great reviews.

Losing action star: Clint Eastwood. Blood Work was dud work up against XXX, an anemic box office performance from a veteran icon whose movies used to routinely knock 'em dead. A sequel to this one is not coming; Clint's career needs a transfusion. You can almost hear Diesel say it: "Do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

Winning marquee name: M. Night Shyamalan. And he has one of the most exotic names ever put on a marquee. His Signs shows every sign of being another Sixth Sense, despite less scintillating reviews. So that's what those crop circles were trying to tell us?

Losing marquee name: Harrison Ford. Vaz it zat bad Russian accent?

Winning spinoff: Scooby-Doo. Scooby-Doo! Who knew? Who knew this film would do such scooby-dooby business — $150 million — amazing for a badly reviewed live-action adaptation of a dopey TV cartoon that gave "primitive animation" new meaning.

Losing spinoff: The Country Bears. Who didn't know? Why on earth would a vintage American amusement-park attraction attract worldwide movie audiences? Kiddy-losers whose failure was somewhat more surprising: The Powerpuff Girls Movie and Hey Arnold! The Movie. But just because kids see them on TV doesn't mean that they'll be another Pokémon or Rugrats ...

Winning little creature: Lilo & Stitch. An obnoxious alien cracked up the kids and their parents and became one of Disney's most popular animated movies.

Losing little creature: Stuart Little 2. A cute mouse made half-decent coin, but it didn't matter because it cost indecent coin to shoot the movie in the first place. Eek!

Winning Saturday Night Live alumnus: Mike Myers as Austin Powers in Goldmember. Naysayers called the first film in the series a one-joke movie. Now that audiences have roared at three films in the series, the joke's on the naysayers.

Losing Saturday Night Live alumnus: Myers' former creative partner Dana Carvey in The Master of Disguise. It wasn't bad enough that it was the worst reviewed film of the summer, but, to add insult to injury, the studio put it out a week after Goldmember. The Man of Mystery creamed The Master of Disguise. Which was worse? The movie or the release date?

CRAPPY BUFFY MUSIC AVAILABLE SOON

A CD soundtrack of last season's much talked-about musical episode of Buffy, titled Once More With Feeling, hitting record stores next month.

THE FORCE IS STRONG IN THIS ONE

Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace winning a field-best four awards at the Fifth Annual DVD Awards, including the Viewers' Choice trophy. Citizen Kane was named Best of Show and The Godfather Collection was awarded Best Special Edition DVD.

Stolen Titian Masterpiece Found in Plastic Bag

A painting by Venetian master Titian, worth more than $7.6 million, has been found in a plastic bag seven years after it was stolen, British newspapers reported on Friday.

The "Rest on the Flight to Egypt" was snatched from Longleat House, the western England stately home of the Marquess of Bath, in 1995.

The masterpiece was recovered in London without a frame in a carrier bag by Charles Hill, a former policeman and now security adviser to the Historic Houses Association, the Guardian newspaper said.

Previous reports suggested a convicted art crook was used as a go-between. Details of the operation were not released.

One of Titian's most famous works, "Rest on the Flight to Egypt" was bought by one of the Marquess of Bath's ancestors in the 19th century.

"It has been a long and difficult process but we are all extremely pleased that the painting is finally safe," Longleat's general manager Tim Moore was quoted as saying.

"Mr Hill is the leading expert in his field and he has remained confident throughout that the picture would eventually turn up."

Britney Spears Says She Growing Up

A teen role model no more, and "not yet a woman," pop princess Britney Spears now says she no longer finds drinking, smoking and sex to be "such a big deal."

In excerpts from an interview with People magazine released on Thursday, the 20-year-old singer said she feels at ease with her more mature, less innocent image of late. And she denied that her recently announced six-month hiatus was the result of an emotional meltdown.

"The first week, I was so excited I was off that I partied every night. I drink," she told People, adding, "Everything in moderation."

"Smoking, drinking, sex -- why is it such a big deal for me? As you get to 20, you grow up, you experiment. You feel more comfortable in your own skin."

"Who cares if I've had sex?" she said. "It's nobody's business. Trust me, I'm not going to have a press conference to announce it." In 1999, Spears made a famous pledge to remain a virgin until her wedding day.

She also talked about her breakup with childhood sweetheart Justin Timberlake of the pop group 'N Sync, calling their recent split "horrible."

According to Spears, Timberlake broke up with her first, they tried to get back together, then she broke up with him, but she denied that either side had cheated on the other.

Timberlake, 21, has since been linked romantically to dancer Jenna Dewan, though Spears said she expects him to see other women.

Still, she said Timberlake was "my first real love, and I doubt I'll ever be able to love anyone like that ever again."

Spears, who heralded her own coming of age in the recent single "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," said she needed some time off to "rejuvenate spiritually and to just play" following a hectic year.

She had been working virtually nonstop since bursting on the scene as a peaches-and-cream teen with the 1998 hit "...Baby One More Time" and grew up to become worldwide pop idol known for provocative costumes and stage performances.

Her hiatus follows a controversial end to a world tour in which she was booed by fans after cutting short her final show in Mexico City because of a torrential rain and made an obscene gesture to paparazzi photographers besieging her car.

Spears' parents recently ended their marriage, a development she describes as "the best thing that's ever happened to my family ... My mom and dad, bottom line, do not get along."

"Its A Mating Call, For Lawyers In Love"

Jackson Browne is back.

'Buffy' Rates Worst Show for Families

A parents group applauded broadcasters Wednesday for embracing more family-friendly programming in prime-time, yet scolded television's two most popular shows for being among the raciest.

Both NBC's "Friends" and CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" made the Parents Television Council list of the 10 worst shows in prime-time.

Little-watched "Doc," a Pax TV drama about a country doctor who moves to New York City, was named the best show on television by the conservative watchdog group for its "uplifting and inspirational" themes.

After years when it was considered unhip, there's been a slight movement toward more family-friendly programming in prime-time, with ABC and the WB network lately making it a priority. ABC has blamed its recent ratings trouble partly on a decision to move away from that audience.

"It definitely is a heartening development," said Melissa Caldwell, the PTC's research director.

UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was rated the worst show in prime-time, with the PTC condemning it for graphic violence and sex, and an element of the occult.

The group criticized TV's most popular comedy, "Friends," for basing much of its humor on sexual references or situations. The PTC said the show, which also featured two unmarried characters having a baby this spring, was inappropriate for its 8 p.m. time slot.

Jennifer Aniston's Rachel character gave birth in the season's final episode.

"I'm not really sure why it passed without much discussion," Caldwell said. "But it's certainly not a good role model, especially considering how popular the show is with teenage viewers."

"CSI" was criticized for dealing graphically with themes of incest and sadomasochism. The show has had a meteoric rise in popularity, often besting "ER" as viewers' favorite drama.

Four WB shows — "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," "Reba," "Smallville" and "7th Heaven" — made the PTC's list of best shows for families.

But "Gilmore Girls" — a WB show that was created specifically through funding provided by advertisers interested in family-friendly programming — was left off the list. Caldwell said her group was concerned about some of the mother's relationships in the show.

'Miss Germany' Risks Losing Crown over Nude Rules

"Miss Germany" has broken her contract and could lose her crown because she objects to beauty contest rules banning her from marrying or posing in the nude, organizers said on Thursday.

Ralf Klemmer, director of the Miss Germany Corporation that holds the annual pageant, said Berlin dental technician Katrin Wrobel canceled a contract with his firm because she said it contained "immoral clauses."

"The contract she and all the girls in the competition signed beforehand spelled it out quite clearly that marriage and nude photographs during the year are not allowed," Klemmer told Reuters.

He said the rules were quite clear and Wrobel would be stripped of her Miss Germany crown if she did not relent.

"The same rules apply to the Miss competitions all around the world," added Klemmer, whose firm has organized 42 consecutive Miss Germany contests since 1960. "It's strange that she now rejects this. But there is no way she can compete in the Miss World competition in Nigeria if this is not resolved."

"We've never had a case like this in 42 years," he said. "If she wants to relinquish the crown then the runner-up will be awarded it. There cannot be another competition this year."

Wrobel's lawyer Christian Schertz was not immediately available for comment. He was quoted in Bild newspaper on Thursday as saying Wrobel had canceled the contract "because it is filled with immoral clauses."

A tall brunette considered a long-shot to win the German competition in January, Wrobel, 24, has since landed a job as a presenter on a German television game show. She has long lived with her boyfriend, a 29-year-old electrician.

"I only took part in the contest for some quick cash," Wrobel was quoted as telling Bild. "I never thought I would have a chance of winning."

Hip-Hoppers Nelly, Eminem Beat Boss

After two weeks at No. 1, the Boss took a beating from a pair of hip-hop superstars in the latest album charts issued this week, slipping to No. 3 as St. Louis rapper Nelly reclaimed the top spot and Eminem slid in just behind him.

Nelly's "Nellyville" (Universal) scanned 183,000 copies in the week ended Aug. 18 -- a 12% drop but sufficient to top "The Eminem Show" (Interscope/Shady) at 179,000. Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" (Columbia) sold just under 167,000 units.

Meanwhile, folk-rock singer/songwriter James Taylor crept up quietly to give the big boys a run for their money this week. "October Road" (Columbia), Taylor's first studio effort since 1997's Grammy-winning "Hourglass," bowed at No. 4, selling nearly 154,000 copies in its first frame.

And Arista's sleeper phenomenon of the year -- rocker Avril Lavigne -- continued her steady climb up the rankings, gaining four spots to land at fifth. "Let Go," the 17-year-old Canadian songwriter's debut effort, has sold almost 1.2 million copies to date.

Two other buzzy songwriters continued to gain ground this week: Norah Jones' first album, "Come Away With Me" (Blue Note), was up two spots to No. 13, and John Mayer's disc "Room for Squares" (Columbia) slipped two places to No. 21 but boosted sales by 6% to more than 47,000.

The second-highest debut of the session belonged to veteran R&B crooner Keith Sweat. His ninth album, "Rebirth" (Elektra), opened at No. 14, selling almost 58,000 discs.

The young bluegrass act Nickel Creek enjoyed an unexpectedly strong bow at No. 18 with "This Side," its second effort for respected roots-music label Sugar Hill. Despite modest promotion efforts, "Side" scanned a hefty 51,000 in its first week out -- putting the group on a trajectory to top even the sales of its far better-known labelmate Dolly Parton.

Also bowing in the top 20 were Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle All-Stars VI" (MCA), which debuted at No. 19, and Detroit hip-hop crew Slum Village's "Trinity (Past, Present & Future)" (Capitol), which started in the 20th spot.

Next week's chart will likely be more of the same; there aren't any new contenders with the heft to rival either Nelly or Eminem. But Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse should make a strong showing with its inaugural Arista release, "Lord Willin'."

An Early Special Edition Look

Here's a look at the contents of Columbia TriStar's Spider-Man: Limited Edition boxed set (street date 11/1). In addition to the widescreen version of the DVD, you'll get an exclusive comic book, Stan Lee's Mutant's Monsters & Marvels DVD, a film cell, an art print and more.

REMEMBERING 9-11

Enrique Iglesias, Alan Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Placido Domingo among the many artists performing in the Concert for America, a commemorative TV special set to air September 11 on NBC. The two-hour program will be hosted by NBC newsman Tom Brokaw and attended by first lady Laura Bush.

GIVE THE MAN A CIGAR?

Rumors surfacing again that former President Bill Clinton is in talks with syndication powerhouse King World and CBS about hosting a daytime talk show described as a cross between Oprah and Nightline.

But He's A Cartoon!

Is Ned Flanders a role model?

New Nirvana material this year: Novoselic

Unreleased Nirvana material may make it to store shelves sooner than expected.

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic told Billboard.com that there is "good will" between him, ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love, despite the continuing litigation over the band's musical legacy.

Novoselic hinted that the much-talked about unreleased Nirvana song "You Know You're Right" (recorded in 1994 just before Cobain's death) could be among the material released this year. "I can't say until the ink's dry, but it's just probably what you'd expect, what you've been hearing."

He added that Universal, Nirvana's label, have eyed a "fourth quarter" release date for the material.

Courtney Love originally blocked the release of a proposed box-set of unreleased Nirvana music, which was to come out last year as part of the 10th anniversary of the group's landmark album "Nevermind." "You Know You're Right" was supposed to be included with the package.

An MTV report in June claims Love had issued a new proposal to Novoselic and Grohl in an attempt to resolve the impasse over how to control future Nirvana releases. The litigation over the band's assets is scheduled to continue in a Washington state courtroom later this month.

Meanwhile, in another court case, Love's lawyers have asked for an extension in her battle with Universal Music in order to continue talks aimed at ending her dispute with the music label, reports Variety.

The label claims Love owes them several more records under her contract, while the songstress/actor counters that the long contract terms amount to an "indentured servitude."

BBC Nominates 100 Greatest Britons

Princess Diana is in, Prince Charles is out.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison are on the list of the 100 greatest Britons of all time released Wednesday, but Ringo is not.

Richard Burton made it, but Elizabeth Taylor didn't.

The British Broadcasting Corp. polled more than 30,000 people to come up with the list, in which John Lydon (better known as Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten) and Boy George mingle with Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton and Tim Berners Lee, the father of the Internet.

Stretching eligibility to all of the British Isles, the list also includes two Irish rockers, Bono of U2 and Bob Geldof.

The BBC2 television channel plans a series of programs later in the year to choose a top 10.

"I'm sure this series will arouse enthusiastic debate in offices and homes all around the country. Just from talking to people I've got a real sense of how passionately they feel about the subject and who they feel is worthy of the title of Great Briton," said Jane Root, comptroller of BBC2.

Canadian Hookers Campaign Against Hollywood

Runaway production is clearly a problem: Now even Canadian hookers, beggars and druggies are upset.

For years, Hollywood guilds have bemoaned the fact production has emigrated to Canada, which offers cheaper costs. But now shooting in downtown Vancouver has created a Canuck conundrum as street workers are demanding compensation for the business they lose thanks to filming.

The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, which represents about 1,000 residents of the seedy Downtown Eastside, has sent a letter demanding compensation to 30 production firms. They include Club Six Prods., currently filming MGM's "Agent Cody Banks" starring Frankie Muniz and Angie Harmon.

The letter states: "Sex trade workers must be compensated for displacement they experience at your hands in the same manner you would compensate a business if you were to use their locale during operating hours. The same must hold true for homeless people you push from beneath a bridge or doorway, and drug users you move from a park."

It also wants financial compensation for all disrupted work, including panhandling; alternative accommodation for affected residents; and equal financial compensation for residents of buildings impacted by filming.

The Vancouver Sun is backing the campaign; it said in an editorial Tuesday "we see no reason why any unorthodox entrepreneur should be treated differently from other businesses when it comes to compensation."

The newspaper suggests moviemakers could donate "a reasonable sum" to charities that serve residents of the area.

However, producers claim adequate payment is already made to organizations including the Downtown Eastside Residents' Assn. for location fees, permits and liaison costs.

"Local shop owners are more than fairly compensated for their supposed loss of business, which detailed studies have shown to be more fiction than fact," said Brent Karl Clackson, a Vancouver producer.

"I would ask these people to rethink their position and not become part of the greedy, foolish and short-sighted who continue to chip away at our industry, driving up costs and making us less competitive with Hollywood."

A spokesman for the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users says it has consulted a lawyer and intends to pursue the matter in the courts.

It is also insisting that anyone interviewed or documented on film be treated respectfully and fairly and paid, "according to the rate requested by the individual subject."

Committee spokesman Chris Livingston claims he was filmed last week as part of background by a crew shooting for the Canuck TV series "Da Vinci's Inquest" but was not paid.

Chris Haddock, executive producer of "Inquest," says it is not the show's policy to film anyone without compensation, unless the person is unrecognizable and unidentifiable.

I Now Own This!

Go Ahead! Click On The Link!

This will make you laugh, cry and feel pity!

Timberlake To Make Solo Debut on MTV

First he split with Britney, now he's singing without *NSync.

MTV announced Tuesday that Justin Timberlake will make his first live solo performance at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards." The 19th annual awards show will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Thursday, Aug. 29th at 8 p.m. ET. "Saturday Night Live" comedian Jimmy Fallon will host the ceremony.

Timberlake will world premiere the song “Like I Love You” from his debut solo album, "Justified" . The song was co-written by Justin Timberlake and The Neptunes.

Previously announced performers at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards" include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Pink, The Hives, Ja Rule, Sheryl Crow, Ashanti, Eminem, The Vines, Nas, Shakira, and P.Diddy. Presenters include Brandy, James Gandolfini, Usher, Kirsten Dunst, Linkin Park, Brittany Murphy, P.O.D., Britney Spears, the final two "American Idol" contenders, Kylie Mingoue, Nelly, Avril Lavigne, Enrique Iglesias, B2K, Johnny Knoxville, Bow Wow, and the "American Idol" judges, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson.

Get Ready for Hong Kong Phooey

You just can't keep a cartoon dog down, as Brett Ratner (the horrible director of RUSH HOUR) has signed a deal with Alcon Entertainment to develop a live action version of the classic Hanna Barbera cartoon series HONG KONG PHOOEY. If you've for some reason never seen the cartoon, it focuses on a clumsy, kung-fu fighting, detective dog that is a janitor by day. The film will focus on the origin of Phooey and a villain that wants his powers. Alcon hopes to turn it into a family franchise.

NO R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Thousands of fans signing an Internet petition denouncing the Soul Train Awards' decision to give its Lady of Soul Entertainer of the Year Award to 21-year-old R&B newcomer Ashanti. The fans say Ashanti hasn't been around long enough to deserve an award named after the legendary Aretha Franklin.

BIGGER, TRASHIER--AND IN SONG

Jerry Springer: The Opera, replete with expletives and a chorus line of dancing Klansmen, crack addicts, strippers and adulterers, selling out its daily performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and earning positive reviews. There are also rumors the production may move to London's West End.

"Hi, I'm Corey. Remember me?"

Does Corey Hart still wear his sunglasses at night? People Magazine catches up with the Can-Con mainstay in this story.

Want To Have A Kick Ass Party?

What it will cost to book Creed for your next party: $200,000. But for the bargain price of $5,000, you can have Vanilla Ice! This fascinating page from Clear Channel College Entertainment reveals how much money entertainers are requesting.

Courtney Love Trial Postponed, Talks Continue

A trial in a closely watched breach of contract case pitting rock star Courtney Love against Universal Music was postponed on Tuesday as the two sides continue talks to reach an out-of-court settlement.

Sources familiar with talks said the case is likely to be resolved, rendering a trial unlikely.

Officials for Universal Music, the world's biggest record company and a unit of Vivendi Universal, declined comment. Love's attorney, Barry Cappello, also declined comment.

The case's roots date back to December 1999 when Love, the widow of Nirvana's late bandleader Kurt Cobain, decided to stop recording for Geffen, a unit of Universal Music.

Last year, Geffen/Universal Music sued Love, seeking millions of dollars in damages for five undelivered albums. Love countersued, also in 2001, claiming she was cheated out of substantial royalties.

Universal's complaint and Love's cross-complaint will be tried together if the case goes to trial. A trial date of Sept 3 was set Tuesday.

If Love were to reach a deal, it would be the second high-profile member of a pop artist coalition challenging record industry practices to quietly settle a dispute that had thrust them into the vanguard of the activist movement.

In June, Grammy-winning trio Dixie Chicks -- also members of the Recording Artists Coalition (RAC) made up of Don Henley, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow and several others -- settled a suit with Sony Corp's Sony Music Entertainment, 10 months after accusing their record label of "systematic thievery."

Love is also part of the group, which staged a series of fund-raising concerts on the eve of the Grammy Awards last February, but suffered a big setback last week when a state senator withdrew a controversial bill he had authored on behalf of the artists.

ANOTHER LOVE SUIT

In a separate bitter dispute in Seattle, Love is suing the remaining members of Cobain's grunge band Nirvana over ownership of the group's recordings and songs in the case worth millions of dollars in royalties.

Irish superstar Bono of the group U2 has been asked to testify for Love, while the band's former band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic questioned Courtney's mental stability in court papers filed this year.

Love recently submitted a written settlement proposal, but Nirvana's lawyer, Kelly Corr, on Tuesday said he told Love's lawyers upon receipt of the proposal that he considered it "one-sided and unreasonable."

"Krist and Dave would like to settle this case if possible because they'd like to get the music out to fans," he said.

A hearing on a motion to dismiss Love's suit is set for Aug. 30. If denied, the case is set to go to trial Sept. 30.

Love's lawyer in that case, O. Yale Lewis, was not immediately available for comment.

Porn Star Proves He's A 'Survivor'...OF THE SEX TRADE!

CBS executives have defended the decision to cast porn actor Brian Heidik on the upcoming Thailand edition of "Survivor."

Reality series have for the most part avoided casting players who already have professional credits under their belt, lest they appear less than "real."

Heidik's credits include a stint on "Days of Our Lives," as well as guest shots on shows such as "Baywatch Nights." He most recently appeared in a number of soft-core porn movies.

According to a network statement, "CBS was aware of his past film credits, but all of our survivors ultimately have the option to decide what elements of their background they do and don't want written in their bios. Brian Heidik is certainly not the first actor to omit certain credits from his biography.

"While this is a part of his past, he is now a successful used-car salesman raising a family in the suburbs, and we feel he definitely brings something to the show."

Today's New Releases

As I told you yesterday today is the day that you have been saving money for. It is a rainy day that will see the sky open up with great news DVD's to buy. Seriously, check out yesterday's posts to get the skinny on the new PULP FICTION, JACKIE BROWN and RESERVOIR DOGS Special Editions.

Oh, baby! I am going broke today. Then there are other titles that you will love too!

And here we go! Here are the new DVD and Video releases for Tuesday, August 20th, 2002:

FIRST UP, THE BIGGIES! THE HUGE ONES! LA GRADIOSE!

WE WERE SOLDIERS- Battle at The Valley of Death during the Vietnam War. (Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Sam Elliott)

RETURN TO NEVER LAND- Wendy's kids come to learn the legend of Peter Pan. (Blayne Weaver (Voice), Corey Burton (Voice), Harriet Owen (Voice))

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS- Two opposites work together to foil diamond heist. (Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Tommy Flanagan)

THE SWEETEST THING- A woman lacking in wooing skills tries to catch her man. (Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, Selma Blair)

JOE SOMEBODY- A man loses face in front of his daughter and fights back. (Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, James Belushi)

VAN WILDER- A perpetual college student must find ways to raise money. (Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn)

IRIS- The true story of novelist-philosopher Iris Murdoch. (Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville)

AND THE REST... (This is the longest list ever!)

Air Jaws 1 & 2
All About The Benjamins (Platinum Collection)
Allman Brothers: Brothers Of The Road
America Remembers 9/11: A CNN Tribute
American Pimp
Angels Over Broadway
Aria
The Awful Dr. Orloff
The Axe (Special Edition)
The Babysitter
The Barefoot Contessa
Basket Case (Special Edition)
Bear/Blue House: V.8
Beetlejuice
The Birth Of A Nation
The Bishop's Wife
Black Eyed Dog
Black Sabbath
Blair Witch 2: Book Of Shadows
The Blair Witch Experience (Set)
Bless The Child
Blood Orgy Of The She-Devils
Bob Marley, Catch A Fire
Bound
Breaking Out:alctrz Concrt
Buffy Saint-Marie: Up Where We
The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari
The Calling
Campfire Stories
Candyman: Day Of The Dead
Carmen: The Hip-Hopera
Carried Away
The Cat's Meow
Catch-22
Cave Of The Living Dead
Cecil B. Demented
Chain Reaction
The Child
Children Of The Living Dead
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chuck & Buck
Cleopatra
Clueless (Widescreen)
Copacabana
The Corpse Grinders (Special Edition)
Corridors Of Blood
Courage Under Fire
Cujo
Cult Of Fury
The Darren Aronofsky Collection
The Day The World Ended
The Dead Zone
Death Curse Of Tartu (Special Edition)
Death Wish
Dee Snider's Strangeland
Deep In The Woods
The Delta Force
Delta Force 2
Dillinger
Dirt Boy
Doomwatch
Dracula: The Dark Prince
Euroshockers
Eye Of The Needle
Fallen Arches
A Family Thing
Fatal Error
Fire & Ice
The First Step
The Fluffer
The Fluffer (Unrated)
The Fortune Cookie
Frankenstein's Daughter
Friday The 13th
Friday The 13th, Part 2
Friday The 13th, Part 3
Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
Frogs
The General's Daughter (Widescreen)
A Gentleman's Game
Ginger Snaps
Golden Years
The Goonies
Gorky Park
The Great Train Robbery
Gremlins (Special Edition)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Gruesome Twosome (Special Edition)
Harold And Maude (Widescreen)
Haunted
Hit & Runaway
Home For The Holidays
Hometown Legend
Hopscotch
The Hotel New Hampshire
House Of Exorcism
The House Of Seven Corpses
IMAX: Wild Australia, The Edge
In The Time Of The Butterflies
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
It's A Wonderful Life
The Item
Jackie Brown (Collector's Edition)
James Brown: Live At The House
The Jean Claude Van Damme Collection Vol (Set)
Jeff Foxworthy:totally Committ
Jesus Of Nazareth (2 Disc Collector's Edition)
Jesus: The Miracle Maker
Jim Breuer: Heavy Metal Comedy
Joan Of Arc
Kindred:The Embraced(3pk)
King Solomon's Mines
Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss: Second Coming
The Ladies Man
The Langoliers
The Learning Curve
Lilies Of The Field
The Little Vampire
The Longest Yard
The Lost World
Magic Schoolbus: Creepy Crawly Fun
The Mangler 2
Manhunter
Marathon Man
Margarita Happy Hour
Mass Destruction
The Master
The Minus Man
The Misfits
Moby Dick
Modern Warriors
Moonlight And Valentino
MTV's Real World: Exotic Vacations
MTV's Real World: New York - Complete 1s
Music For Monserrat
My Cousin Vinny
Necessary Roughness
New York Firefighters: Brotherhood Of 9/
The Next Step
Nightmare Room: Camp Nowhere
Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish F
The Ninth Gate (Widescreen)
Nobody's Baby
North Dallas Forty
A Nous La Liberte
Office Space (Widescreen)
One Magic Christmas
Open Your Eyes
Operation Enduring Freedom
Ordinary People
The Organization
The Permanent Midnight And Open Your Eye (Set)
Pet Sematary
Pet Shop Boys: Somewhere
Pi
Premonition
Pretty In Pink
Prince: Rave Un2 The Year
Project V.I.P.E.R.
Psychomania
Raising Arizona
The Razor's Edge
The Real Eve
Requiem For A Dream
Requiem For A Dream (Unrated)
Rest In Peace
Ronin
Rosemary's Baby
Roughing It
Rumpelstiltskin
The Running Man
Santa Claus: The Movie (Widescreen)
Santa Claus: The Movie (Full Screen)
Schizo
School Ties
Scooby Doo Meets Batman
Scooby Doo: Creepiest Capers
Scooby Doo: Spookiest Tales
Scrooged (Widescreen)
Shiner
Sleepaway Camp
Sleepaway Camp - Survival Kit (Limited Edition)
Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers
Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland
Slippery When Wet
Some Kind Of Wonderful
Someone Like You
Stalag 17 (Widescreen)
The Stand
Startup.com
Stephen King's Thinner
Stir Of Echoes
Surfin' Shorts
Surfing Hollow Days
Sweet Smell Of Success
Taboo
The Tangerine Bear
Three Days Of The Condor
Throw Momma From The Train
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot
Tom Jones
Tom Sawyer
True Colors
U2: Rattle And Hum (Widescreen)
Universal Soldier
The Untouchables
Urban Jungle
The Warriors
Water Logged
The Way Of The Gun And Killing Zoe Set
Wet, Wet, Wet: Playing Away
What Time Is It There?
Where The Heart Is
White Christmas
The Who - Who's Next
Who'll Stop The Rain
Wishmaster 3: Beyond The Gates Of Hell
The Wishmaster Set
The Wishmaster Set (Set)
Witchboard 3
The Witches
Woman Eater
WWF: Hollywood Hogan
WWF: King Of The Ring
Zoltan:Hound Of Dracula

GAS FROM THE PAST

Does any costly, good ever come out in August? With the $100+ million Eddie Murphy flick "The Adventures Of Pluto Nash" earning less than $3 million at the weekend box office the answer may be: no. Here's a recap of some recent late-summer flops Hollywood has foisted on us:

* "Ghosts of Mars": Aug. 24, 2001. John Carpenter's sci-fi thriller cost $28 million but scared up only $8.4 million.

* "Bubble Boy": Aug. 24, 2001. This anemic comedy - starring now-wunderkind Jake Gyllenhaal - cost $13 million but made a sickly $5 million.

* "American Outlaws": Aug. 17, 2001. Now-hot Colin Farrell wasn't when this $35 million western shot blanked, stealing only $13 million.

* "The Cell": Aug. 18, 2000. Jennifer Lopez pouted unconvincingly in this $33 million overblown music video, which captured only $18 million.

* "Dudley Do-Right": Aug. 27, 1999. Brendan Fraser 's $22 million cartoon Canadian Mountie did wrong, making only $9 million.

GOING AT IT ALONE

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter planning to release his debut album as a solo artist, Now or Never, on October 29.

LAST LAUGH?

Ana Gasteyer is exiting Saturday Night Live after six seasons, her publicist announced Monday. Gasteyer made history as the show's first pregnant performer.

ON THE MEND

A hospital spokesperson saying that Jason Priestley's condition remains unchanged, but "he is continuing to make progress in his recovery and his family remains very optimistic." The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star, injured in a race-car crash a week ago, may be released and put into physical rehab in a few days.

ULTIMATUM

Russia's space agency giving Lance Bass until Friday to come up with $20 million to pay for his planned fall trip to the international space station. The 'N Syncer is vying to become the youngest person--and first pop star--into space.

This Day's New Tunes

This list of CD's that will be in stores today is so uninteresting that I can't even bother writing anything about it.

Simply put, here are the new music releases for Tuesday, August 20, 2002:

* 4TH AVENUE No Plan B (Interscope)
* AMERIE All I Have (Columbia)
* ANCHOR Vs. Breakdance Vietnam (Razor & Tie)
* ANDY DICK Andy Dick & The Bitches Of The Century (Milan)
* ANDY STOCHANSKY Five Star Hotel (Windham Hill)
* ANGIE MARTINEZ Animal House (Elektra)
* ANTHONY B So Many Things (VP)
* ARKANGEL Dead Man Walking (Razor & Tie)
* BEENIE MAN Tropical Storm (Virgin)
* BLACK CROWES Live (V2)
* BLACK SABBATH Past Lives (Sanctuary Records)
* BLINDSIDE Silence (Elektra)
* BOOMTANG Wet (Virgin)
* BOWLING FOR SOUP Drunk Enough To Dance (Zomba)
* BOY GEORGE U Can Never B 2 Straight (Virgin)
* BRAD Welcome To Discovery Park (Redline)
* BUDDY DEFRANCO Mr. Clarinet (Remaster) (Verve)
* CAL TJADER Soul Bird: Whiffenpoof (Verve)
* CHARLY GARCIA Influencia (EMI Latin)
* CHICAGO Chicago Transit Authority (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago II (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CHICAGO Chicago III (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino)
* CLARK FAMILY Clark Family Experience (Curb)
* CLIFFORD BROWN At Basin Street (Verve)
* CULTURE Humble African (VP)
* DEANA CARTER The Deana Carter Collection (Capitol)
* DIAMOND RIO Completely (Arista)
* ERIC ALEXANDER Summit Meeting (Milestone)
* ERNESTINE ANDERSON My Kinda Swing (Remaster) (Verve)
* FIONA Wanna Make Love (VP)
* FLIPMODE SQUAD The Rulership Movement
* FOREIGNER Double Vision (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FOREIGNER Head Games (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FRANK BLACK & THE CATHOLICS Black Letter Days (Sonic Unyon)
* FRANK BLACK & THE CATHOLICS Devil's Workshop (Sonic Unyon)
* GIORGIA Greatest Hits (Ariola)
* GLEN WASHINGTON Number One Girl (VP)
* GORDON LIGHTFOOT Shadows (Rhino)
* GORDON LIGHTFOOT Salute (Rhino)
* HEZEKIAH WALKER Family Affair II: Live At Radio City Music Hall (Zomba)
* JAMES TAYLOR October Road (Columbia)
* JIMI HENDRIX Smash Hits (Remaster) (MCA)
* JIMMY SCOTT But Beautiful (Milestone)
* KATHY MATTEA Roses (Narada)
* KAY HANLEY Cherry Marmalade (Rounder)
* KEITH SWEAT Rebirth (Elektra)
* KELLY WILLIS Easy (Ryko)
* KENNY RANKIN A Song For You (Verve)
* L.A. GUNS Waking Up Dead (Spitfire/EMI)
* LAURA BRANIGAN The Essentials (Rhino)
* LEE ANN WOMACK Something Worth Leaving Behind (MCA Nashville)
* LOUIS PRIMA The Wildest! (Blue Note)
* LOVHER To Know Her Is To Loveher (Def Jam)
* LUCIANO Sweep Over My Soul (VP)
* MICHEL PETRUCCIANI 100 Hearts (Blue Note)
* MICHEL PETRUCCIANI Live At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note)
* MONTY ALEXANDER My America (Telarc)
* MORGAN HERITAGE Protect Us Jah (VP)
* MURDERDOLLS Beyond The Valley Of Murderdolls (Roadrunner)
* NAAM BRIGADE Early In The Game (BMG)
* NAT KING COLE Live At The Sands (Blue Note)
* NATHAN WILEY Bottom Dollar (Sonic Records)
* NEKO CASE Blacklisted (Mint Records)
* NO SECRETS No Secrets (Zomba)
* OTTMAR LIEBERT In The Arms Of Love (Higher Octave Music/EMI)
* RATT The Essentials (Rhino)
* SCOTT MERRITT Detour Home (Universal)
* SEPULTURA Under A Pale Grey Sky (Roadrunner)
* SHADE SHEIST Informal Introduction (MCA)
* SISTER ROSETTA THARPE Gospel Train (Remaster) (Verve)
* SIZZLA Words Of Truth (VP)
* SIZZLA/LUCIANO/ANTHONY B/YAMI BOLO 4 Rebels (VP)
* SPINNERS The Essentials (Rhino)
* STEELIE & CLEEVIE Old To The New: Tribute To Joe Gibbs Classics (VP)
* SURFACE Breaking The Surface (VP)
* SWING OST Swing OST (Warner International)
* TEGAN AND SARA If It Was You (Universal)
* THE CLIPSE Lord Willin' (Arista)
* THE DRIFTERS The Essentials (Rhino)
* THE LAST MINUTE OST The Last Minute OST (Palm)
* THE METERS The Essentials (Rhino)
* THE RASCALS The Essentials (Rhino)
* THE SHINING TBA (The Shining) (Sony)
* TREBLE CHARGER Detox (BMG/Vik)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Frosh 5 (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The Angels Are Singing (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Now!7 (EMI)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Underground Hip-Hop Volume 1 (Page)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Smoke The Herb (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Smoke The Herb: The Second Pound (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 1 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dancehall 101 - Volume 2 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Soca Gold 2000 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Reggae Lasting Love (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Reggae Lasting Love - Volume 2 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Soca 101 - Volume 1 (VP)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Latin Grooves On Bluenote (Blue Note)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS When The Sun Goes Down: That's All Right (Bluebird/BMG)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS When The Sun Goes Down: That's Chicago's South Side (Bluebird/BMG)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS When The Sun Goes Down: The First Time I Met The Blues (Bluebird/BMG)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS When The Sun Goes Down: Walk Right In (Bluebird/BMG)
* WILSON PICKETT The Essentials (Rhino)

Hurley Had Fun Filming 'Serving Sara'

Sometimes when people star together in a movie the relationship carries over into their real lives. That isn't going to happen with Elizabeth Hurley and her "Serving Sara" co-star Matthew Perry.

Hurley says Perry was having some personal problems while "Serving Sara" was being shot, so she never really got to know him.

But that doesn't mean that the 37-year-old actress didn't get a good vibe from Perry.

"Even when he was going through some painful times of his own, he was always incredibly funny and cheerful and always making me laugh," Hurley tells AP Radio.

"Serving Sara" casts Hurley as a woman who is served with divorce papers and bribes the process server with $1 million to tear them up and help her sue her husband. But in real life, Hurley says she doesn't think revenge pays.

"Tempting as it may be to seek revenge immediately when you're furious, you never really need to because life tends to take care of that sort of things anyway," Hurley says. "I truly believe that nice things happen to nice people and bad people always seem to come to a sticky end."

Calif. Passes on Album Contract Limit

Benefit concerts and star-filled promenades to Capitol hearing rooms have proved a failing cause for California's recording artists, who have lost their yearlong bid to cap their record contracts at seven years.

On the verge of an Assembly committee hearing last week where their idea lacked the votes to pass, Sen. Kevin Murray, a former music agent, withdrew the bill, promising to try again next year.

"After months of negotiations on the seven-year-issue, the RIAA and the recording artists were at an impasse on several major points," singer and Eagles drummer Don Henley said in a statement.

Henley and others who testified for the artists' campaign, including Courtney Love, Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks, said standard multi-album contracts bind singers for much of their careers to the same label, greatly limiting their musical and financial options.

Record industry officials maintain they must hold their successful acts to long-term recording contracts that help cover losses from the majority of acts that fail.

The Recording Industry Association of America, which led the fight against the bill, declined comment.

Dixie Chick Takes Dig at Messina

Hey Jo Dee Messina, Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks has you on her mind.

At the recent taping of their upcoming NBC special, Natalie Maines and Martie Maguire surprised their band mate with a birthday cake topped with a sparkler.

After the sold-out crowd sang "Happy Birthday," Robison told the crowd she was turning "the big three-oh" and figured she'd stay 30 for the next several years. Then she added, "Just like Jo Dee Messina." When the audience responded with hoots and rumbles, Robison said she'd just pulled the name out of the air, that she could have mentioned anybody to make her joke.

The Chicks' NBC concert special will air in early December, and feature songs from their third album, "Home," and several of their past hits as well. The new disc will be released on Aug. 27.

Meanwhile, Robison is playing chicken with her due date. The dobro/banjo and guitar-playing Chick is pregnant, with a due date of Nov. 14. She tells Country Weekly she's having a boy, whom they'll most likely name Charles, after her husband Charlie Robison. But she says they'll likely call him by his middle name, which they haven't decided yet.

The trick is the due date: The Chicks have a show on Oct. 19 at the Texas State Fair, three weeks from her due date. Robison laughs that she's praying she can still play her instruments as her belly expands. She says she can probably play the banjo sidesaddle, but not her dobro — so she might have to get a special stand made for it.

Comics Conway, Korman to Be Honored

Tim Conway and Harvey Korman, who frequently broke character while cracking up on "The Carol Burnett Show," will be among those inducted this fall into the Television Hall of Fame.

The list of honorees announced Monday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences also includes late director John Frankenheimer, designer Bob Mackie, "All in the Family" actress Jean Stapleton and Bud Yorkin, the director-producer of "Maude" and "Good Times."

The ceremony is to take place Nov. 6 in Beverly Hills.

The academy, which also presents the Emmy Awards, selects honorees through nomination by a board of governors and votes from the Hall of Fame selection committee, headed by "All in the Family" producer Norman Lear.

Paul Simon to Get Kennedy Center Honor in December

Singer-songwriter Paul Simon will get a Kennedy Center Honor award in December, taking the place of former Beatle Paul McCartney, who opted out of this year's ceremony, a spokeswoman for the center said on Monday.

McCartney was to be feted Dec. 8, along with actor James Earl Jones, conductor James Levine, dancer-actress Chita Rivera and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

However, Kennedy Center spokeswoman Tiki Davies said McCartney will receive the award next year. She said she did not know the reason for the switch.

Simon, who had been listed for a future award, will instead get the prize in 2002, Davies said by telephone.

Davies passed along a statement from Simon's spokesman Dan Klores: "Paul Simon is honored and looks forward to a wonderful weekend. He feels as if he is blessed."

The Kennedy Center Honors Gala is a staple of Washington's winter social season. This year honorees will start the evening with dinner at the White House before the gala performance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Afterward, there will be a supper dance in the center's Grand Foyer.

Simon and the other honorees will get their awards the evening before the gala, at a State Department dinner hosted by Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Kennedy Center statement said.

Simon first came to prominence in the 1960s as part of the duo Simon and Garfunkel with such songs as "The Sound of Silence," "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" (known popularly as "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme") and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." In 1986 Simon released his biggest-selling solo album, "Graceland" with Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

In March 2001 Simon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tres Kewl!

From "The maker of 'The Professional' and 'La Femme Nikita'" is The Transporter.

FYI- It is only written and produced by Luc Besson.

Cash 'Comes Around' On New 'American' Album

Along with being treated to a slew of vault material and a pair of tribute records this year, Johnny Cash fans will be given yet another reason to smile Nov. 5, when the Man In Black's fourth collaboration with producer Rick Rubin arrives via American Recordings/Island Def Jam. The 15-track "American IV: The Man Comes Around" features such guests as Nick Cave, Fiona Apple, and Don Henley, and sees Cash cover songs by such diverse artists as the Beatles, Depeche Mode, Hank Williams, Nine Inch Nails, the Eagles, Sting, and Simon & Garfunkel.

Hooters in the Air?

Will Vanguard Airlines, known for its low fares, and Hooters Girls, known for their high-cut shorts, soon be corporate cousins?

Hooters of America Inc. chairman Robert H. Brooks is thinking about buying Vanguard, the Kansas City-based discount carrier that filed for bankruptcy protection and grounded its fleet last month. On Wednesday, a bankruptcy judge told Brooks he can give Vanguard $50,000 per week for the next three weeks to pay a skeleton staff, while Brooks examines the company's books and decides if he wants to buy.

A newly formed company called Hooters Air Inc. will make the payments.

So what kind airline would Hooters Air Inc. run? Vanguard spokeswoman Elizabeth Cattell said it's too soon to know.

"If it'll be 'Hooters Girls' flight attendants, it's too early," Cattell said.

But she didn't dismiss the idea.

Cattell called said there's more to Brooks than Hooters. Brooks, Cattell said, has built Hooters into a "fresh product" with 315 stores in the U.S. and overseas. To Vanguard, he would bring financial strength, "which is what we've needed all along," she said.

Brooks' Atlanta-based attorney, A.J. Block, said Brooks would decide in the next several weeks whether to buy Vanguard.

"Mr. Brooks is a pretty decisive guy," Block said.

In the meantime, the handful of Vanguard employees at the company's headquarters are working toward two goals: Vanguard's possible return to flying, and liquidation, Cattell said.

Vanguard suspended flights, laid off 90 per cent of its employees and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 30.

Vanguard attorney Dan Flanigan said Brooks' interest came out of the blue.

"He came out of such an unusual place -- no one would have predicted it would be him we would be talking to at this point," Flanigan said.

If Brooks doesn't buy Vanguard, it's not immediately clear whether the airline is likely to find any other suitors.

Flanigan said he believed discussions are happening with other potential investors, although he said he did not know details of those discussions. Analysts have expressed doubts, however, about Vanguard's prospects for getting financial help.

Vanguard served Myrtle Beach, S.C., where Brooks lives.

"So he is very much a supporter of Myrtle Beach, and the termination of Vanguard was disturbing to all of Myrtle Beach," Block said. Brooks also has a strong interest in aviation and owns an airplane, although he doesn't fly it himself, Block said.

Brooks founded Eastern Foods Inc. in 1966, which makes dressings and sauces. Hooters was founded in 1983, and Brooks and a group of Atlanta investors bought expansion and franchise rights for the chain in 1984. Brooks eventually bought majority control and became chairman.

Vanguard had never shown a yearly profit. But Sept. 11 made its problems worse, and it became one of three airlines to file for bankruptcy since the terrorist attacks. The others were US Airways, on Sunday, and Midway Airlines.

New DVD and Video Highlights For Tomorrow

Ah yes, it is that time again. The day when all of that money you have been saving gets spent as there are several great new DVD and Video titles to buy. Hopefully it is actually raining as tomorrow is a rainy day!

Enjoy...

The Simpsons Season Two- This is the season "The Simpsons" was saved from itself. An immediate smash hit on Sunday nights, the show was switched by Fox to Thursdays at 8 opposite the blockbuster sitcom "The Cosby Show." And thank God. "The Simpsons" - like Tarantino or God -seemed to be everywhere in 1989. It did well against "Cosby" but not near the numbers it did the first year, turning the animated classic from a pop cultural juggernaut to an almost below-the-radar hit. The show would appear in the Top 20 or 30 for years to come, but it didn't dominate the airwaves, letting the writers and voice cast go on to create some of the most subversive and funny half hours on television. (And I know that this set came out 2 weeks ago, but I just finished watching the whole thing, so I thought it was time to mention it again!)

Hopscotch- Movies given the Criterion treatment are almost always critically acclaimed works or cult favorites that deserve to be considered classics. Sure the occasional Armageddon sneaks in (hey, Criterion has to pay the bills, you know). But by and large its stamp of approval is given sparingly and with good reason. Hopscotch isn't the joke that Armageddon is, but it is surely the most unexpected addition to the canon in a while. An amusing little caper, it tells about an aging C.I.A. agent (the shambling Walter Matthau) shunted aside thanks to politics. He publishes a memoir revealing the secrets of virtually every spook agency in the world, making him a target for everyone from his old bosses to the KGB. Glenda Jackson plays the woman who gives him succor and shelter. They made a great team, having previously paired off in House Calls. And whenever I hear the letters FBI I think of their reference in this movie.

Reservoir Dogs: Special Edition/Pulp Fiction Collector's Edition/Jackie Brown Collector's Edition- Here's a shocker: Quentin Tarantino has been out of the spotlight so long, we actually miss the guy. That would have been heard to believe five years ago when he was virtually omnipresent. Just as surprising is the fact that all three of his features come bursting with extras, but without the de rigueur commentary track. It must be hard to say no in the first flush of fame, but Tarantino seems to have learned the trick. As for the movies, Reservoir Dogs is a gem; Pulp Fiction has a brilliant first act, a clever structure,and some serious flaws, but deserves its landmark status; and Jackie Brown - like its star Pam Grier - looks better and better with the passing of time.

Iris- With Ronald Reagan reportedly unable to recognize his wife Nancy and Charlton Heston announcing poignantly (if rather enigmatically) that he is exhibiting Alzheimer's-like symptoms, the timing is sadly right for Iris. This quietly ambitious drama shows author Iris Murdoch in the throes of that terrible illness while flashing back to her young romance with devoted husband John Bayley. The movie mostly sidesteps Murdoch's bisexuality (it's based on his memoir, after all) and doesn't really give you any sense of Murdoch the artist. But Judi Dench gives a bewildered stare and you're lost. Kate Winslet (who looks awesome) and Jim Broadbent are also strong, but the real find here is Hugh Bonneville who plays the young Bayley: he resembles Broadbent to a stunning degree and seems to have just as much talent to boot.

BAWDY BOSS

Proving that his engines haven't cooled just yet, Bruce Springsteen introduced his wife, vocalist Patty Scialfa, to a Madison Square Garden audience as "natural viagra," then said drummer Max Weinberg was the result of a "menage a trois between Keith Moon, Buddy Rich and Ed McMann."

No Crusher for STAR TREK X

Apparently the Wesley Crusher cameo has officially been cut from STAR TREK: NEMESIS. Wil Wheaton confirmed on his official Web site that his scene has been cut out of the upcoming Star Trek: Nemesis movie. Wheaton had shot a scene in which he reprised his Star Trek: The Next Generation role of Wesley Crusher.

Wheaton said that Trek executive producer Rick Berman personally delivered the bad news to him, saying that the scene was cut as part of 48 minutes of editorial trims to shorten the Nemesis rough cut's nearly three-hour running time.

Wheaton was philosophical about the cut scene. "The great thing is, I got to spend two wonderful days being on Star Trek again, working with the people I love, wearing the uniform that I missed, and I got to re-connect with you, the cast and the fans," Wheaton said he told Berman. "Nobody can take that away from me." Nemesis opens Dec. 13.

VISITING HOURS

Robert Blake's lawyer confirming Friday that several celebrities have been visiting the encarcerated actor. Among the guests, Anthony Hopkins, Quincy Jones, Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters. Blake remains in L.A.'s Men Central Jail on charges of murdering his wife. He has pleaded innocent.

WTC Rebuilding to Be Filmed

The long process of rebuilding the World Trade Center site is going to be captured on film.

The New York Times says a group of businessmen plan to record the rebuilding effort with six cameras deployed around ground zero.

Three cameras have been taking pictures of the site every five minutes since late May.

Three more cameras are expected to be added this September eleventh.

The project's sponsors hope to produce a time-lapse film spanning at least seven years of rebuilding with millions of images.

'XXX' Leads Struggling North American Box Office

The Vin Diesel action movie "XXX" led the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend with a three-day haul of $23 million, while Eddie Murphy posted one of the biggest flops of the year with his new film.

"The Adventures of Pluto Nash," in which Murphy plays a lunar nightclub owner, debuted at No. 10 with ticket sales of just $2.2 million since its Aug. 16 bow, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. It reportedly cost about $100 million to make.

The movie has collected dust -- and bad industry buzz -- since its summer 2000 shoot. There were no advance screenings for critics, and Murphy did not do any publicity.

It was produced by Australia's Village Roadshow Ltd. and Castle Rock Entertainment, and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. Castle Rock and Warner Bros, are units of AOL Time Warner Inc. Ron Underwood ("Mighty Joe Young") directed.

"It's a disappointment and we're moving forward," said Dan Fellman, president of distribution at Warner Bros.

The top 10 contained one other new release, the female surfing movie "Blue Crush," which opened at No. 3 with a solid $15.2 million. Budgeted at about $15 million, the teen-targeted drama was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of Vivendi Universal SA.

With the lucrative summer moviegoing season drawing to a close, overall receipts fell for the fifth consecutive weekend when compared with the year-ago period. However, sales for 2002 are on track to beat last year's record take of $8.4 billion, thanks in part to a strong start to the summer.

'XXX' EYES THIRD WEEK ON TOP

Columbia Pictures' "XXX" will likely benefit from the malaise with a third round at No. 1 next weekend, industry observers said. The only new releases then are "Serving Sara," a romantic comedy starring Matthew Perry and Elizabeth Hurley; "Simone," a Hollywood satire starring Al Pacino; and "Undisputed," a prison boxing drama starring Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames.

"XXX," with a 10-day haul of $84.9 million, is outpacing Diesel's 2001 breakthrough film "The Fast and the Furious," which had pulled in $78 million after the same time and ended up with $144 million, said Jeff Blake, Columbia's president of worldwide marketing and distribution.

Columbia is a unit of Sony Corp.

The Mel Gibson supernatural thriller "Signs," which held steady at No. 2 with $19.5 million is also holding up well. After three weekends, it has pulled in $150 million. The film, written, directed and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, was released by Touchstone Pictures, a unit of Walt Disney Co.

"Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," fell one spot to No. 4 in its second weekend with $11.6 million. After 12 days, its total stands at $45.7 million. The children's adventure was released by Disney's Miramax Films unit.

The super-spy comedy "Austin Powers in Goldmember" fell one spot to No. 5 in its fourth round with $8.7 million. The Mike Myers vehicle has a 25-day total of $183.9 million. It was released by AOL Time Warner's New Line Cinema unit.

'GREEK' HITS $53 MILLION

Sleeper hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" jumped two places to a new high of No. 6 in its 18th weekend. Its weekend haul of $5.8 million propelled its total to $52.9 million. The arthouse romantic comedy added 349 theaters for a total of 1,072 outlets, still only a third the reach of the films in the top five.

The film was released by IFC Films, a unit of Rainbow Media Holdings Inc., which is majority owned by Cablevision Systems Corp.

Elsewhere in the arthouse world, director Neil LaBute's adaptation of "Possession," starring Gwyneth Paltrow, opened in 270 theaters with a modest $1.6 million. It was released by Focus Features, a unit of Vivendi Universal.

"The Good Girl," a black comedy starring "Friends" actress Jennifer Aniston, grossed $828,000 after expanding to 56 theaters in 18 cities; it opened last weekend in four locations in New York and Los Angeles, and has grossed $1.2 million to date. It expands to 500 theaters nationally in two weeks, the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The film was released by Fox Searchlight, a unit of News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc.

Paramount Classics' German-language culinary romance "Mostly Martha" debuted in two New York theaters with $42,000. Its screen average of $21,000 ranks as the highest in the Viacom Inc.-owned studio's history, a spokeswoman said. It expands to the top 10 markets next weekend.

Shortlist Music Prize Honors Unknowns

Alanis Morissette, Mos Def and director Baz Luhrmann are among the panelists who will determine the winner of this year's Shortlist Music Prize, designed to identify an emerging artist who has yet to gain widespread commercial success.

Other judges include Jill Scott, U2's Larry Mullen Jr., India.Arie, DJ Paul Oakenfold, the production duo the Neptunes and film director Spike Jonze.

"The Shortlist Music Prize is awarded to the most creative and accomplished album by an emerging artist," The Shortlist Organization co-founder Tom Sarig said Thursday.

"It's simple," added co-founder Greg Spotts. "It's artists you know turning you on to other artists you may not know."

The winner will be announced in Los Angeles on Oct. 29.

This is the second year for the awarding of the music prize. Last year's winner, Icelandic band Sigur Ros, received a $10,000 check.

Kudrow Willing to Make More 'Friends'

If series star Lisa Kudrow is any indication, fans shouldn't count their "Friends" out just yet.

Kudrow, for one, may be willing to continue with the NBC sitcom past its upcoming ninth season, which as of now will likely be its last.

Interviewed for the season premiere of Oxygen's "Conversations From the Edge With Carrie Fisher" (which airs in The States Aug. 18), Kudrow told the host that she didn't know if this would actually be the final season of "Friends."

"You know now I hope not," Kudrow said. "I'm actually comfortable saying I'm not. Which means it probably will be the last year.

"You know we all get along, and we still have fun and the writers are still working really hard and they do good stories," she said. "You look around and you see that a lot of reasons shows finish is (that) the ratings are really bad. We were No. 1 for the first time ever in our eighth season."

New At The Multiplex

Well here we are; a rare August weekend that doesn't have a huge big- budget blockbuster opening in theatres. Instead we have an Eddie Murphy movie that is reportedly so bad that it's studio wouldn't let anyone see it until it opened in theatres; a surfer chick movie from the producers of A Beautiful Mind; a small Gwyneth Paltrow movie from the director of Nurse Betty and In The Company Of Men and a small, little movie that has been slowly gaining steam and is on it's way to becoming one of the most profitable films of all time.

So lets get to it!

Eddie Murphy stars in The Adventures Of Pluto Nash a flick that has been sitting on the shelf at Warner Bros. for the last 18 months, normally a sign that a movie is pretty bad. Warner also didn't screen the film for critics or theatrical bookers either, another sign of a movie's horrendous nature. BUT even though no one has seen it, I have.

The Adventures Of Pluto Nash is a waste of film, time, effort and everything else you can think of. It even has the luscious Rosario Dawson and it just isn't worth your time.

Man does that movie suck!

Blue Crush doesn't suck, and the chicks are tasty, but I just didn't care. Produced by Ron "Opie Cunningham" and Brian Grazer the flick is entertaining, but as I said, I just didn't care. Although it did cement my love of the bikini.

My love for Gwyneth Paltrow was cemented a few years ago, and I would tell you about her new movie Possession but it is only opening in a few select cities and I don't live in one of the selected ones so I haven't seen it. But if it is as good as the Sarah McLachlan song "Possession" then I will love it.

Love, yours, mine or otherwise, is at the center of My Big Fat Greek Wedding a tiny, small little film written by a woman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that cost $5 million and has so far grossed $45 million. It has been playing in only selected cities as well, but the powers that be have finally added my city to the lucky batch of places where the flick is now playing. So I will be seeing, and probably enjoying My Big Fat Greek Wedding this weekend. And I'm not even Greek!

So enjoy the popcorn, or the souvlaki, and I'll see you at the movies!

GIMME SOME SPACEY

Oscar winner Kevin Spacey will narrate "America Rebuilds," PBS' look at the aftermath of Sept. 11 - and the rebuilding efforts still underway at Ground Zero.

The 90-minute movie will air Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Filming on the documentary began on Oct. 31. Then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave Great Projects complete access to the 16-acre site.

Meanwhile, CBS has announced plans to rebroadcast "9/11" on Sept. 11 following CBS newsman's Scott Pelley's exclusive interview with President Bush.

The documentary was shot by French brothers Gedeon and Jules Naudet, who were following the FDNY's Ladder 1, Engine 7 for a special.

"9/11" originally aired last March and was introduced by Oscar winner Robert DeNiro.

Bored Of Summer TV?

Here are the Fall 2002 premiere dates.

Blackstreet Moves Up to LEVEL II

The 1990s R&B group Blackstreet has announced that November 12 will be the drop date for their newest album, LEVEL II. The new album will bring back all the original members of the group: Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Mark Middleton, and Eric Williams. Middleton did not appear on the group's last album, 1999's FINALLY. The group has announced that the first single will be "Wizzy Wow," a song featuring rapper Mystikal.

ALL YOU WANNA DO?

CBS announcing that Grammy-winner Sheryl Crow will show up at the Big Brother 3 house and perform an "exclusive mini-concert" as a surprise luxury reward for the houseguests. The special two-hour episode airs August 21 at 9 p.m.

SNOOPY COMES HOME

Thousands of Peanuts fans expected to attend Saturday's grand opening of the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California. The city is also putting on a weekend's worth of free Snoopy movies and a pancake breakfast in honor of the late cartoonist who lived and worked there.

LORD OF BLOCKBUSTER

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring topping both the VHS and DVD rental charts in its first week of release. All told, the film took in nearly $13 million in rental revenue last week, according to VideoScan.

THAI ONE ON

CBS announcing the names of 16 new castaways competing on Survivor: Thailand, the fifth installment of the show debuting September 19. They include a 29-year-old firefighter, a 30-year-old New York cop and, of course, a 23-year-old bartender.

Wanna meet them?

U.S. Senator Joins LAW & ORDER Cast

U.S. Senator Fred Thompson has joined the cast of NBC's LAW & ORDER, playing the new chief prosecutor. The show is Thompson's first television role for the former actor. Thompson has appeared in 18 films, including DIE HARD 2. Thompson will play a newly appointed district attorney assigned to ride herd over assistant DAs Jack McCoy and Serena Southerlyn. He will fill the role abandoned by Dianne Wiest.

Dixie Chick Artwork

The Dixie Chick's new disc "Home" will be released on August 27th. Me likey!

SHANIA TWAIN SET TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, UP!, NOVEMBER 12, 2002

Shania Twain's new record, entitled "UP!", will be released by Mercury Records Nashville on November 12, 2002.

The album, produced by Mutt Lange, includes 19 new songs, all co-written by Twain and Lange. "UP!" is Twain's first new record since the unbridled success of 1997's Come On Over. Come On Over continues to shatter music industry records; the album is now the highest-selling release since the inception of SoundScan and the best-selling album ever by a female artist in the U.S., at a staggering 19 million units. Worldwide, Come On Over has sold 34 million copies.

And yes, there will be new pictures of her coming out soon too!

KUDOS!

Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster set to receive the Hollywood Outstanding Achievement Award at this year's Hollywood Film Festival. The award will be handed out October 7 in a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

JETTING TO PLAYSTATION

Sony announcing it's developing a videogame called Rise to Honor inspired by Hong Kong action movies and featuring the martial arts stylings of Jet Li. The title is due on PlayStation 2 in fall 2003.

PRIESTLEY UPDATE

Jason Priestley underwent surgery Wednesday on his broken back and feet. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star, injured Sunday in a race-car crash, is expected to make a full recovery. Doctors will update his condition at a press conference Thursday.

Michael J. Fox Spins ABC Tale

Former "Spin City" star Michael J. Fox may soon be back in business with ABC.

The network is close to picking up a pilot from Fox, who left "Spin" in 2000 after announcing he was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Fox will write and executive produce the project via his Lottery Hill production company.

The sitcom, which bears a slightly autobiographical tone, will revolve around a larger-than-life pro hockey player who gets to spend more time with his family after he is forced to retire. It's unclear whether Fox would make an appearance on the show.

Fox is no stranger to writing, having recently penned the bestselling memoir "Lucky Man." The book, published by Hyperion, was released in April.

"Michael has proven to be as skilled a writer as he is an actor, and that's saying quite a lot," ABC Entertainment president Susan Lyne said. "ABC has been part of Michael's past with 'Spin City,' so we couldn't be more thrilled at the possibility of also being part of his future with this new comedy project."

Fox played Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty for four seasons on "Spin City," and also served as an executive producer on the show. He most recently voiced the title character in the summer feature "Stuart Little 2"; he also voiced the lead character in 2001's animated picture "Atlantis: The Lost Empire."

Fox starred in 180 episodes of the hit 1980s NBC sitcom "Family Ties"; he's best known on the big screen for "Back to the Future" and its two sequels.

Frisbee Pioneer Dies, Ashes to Be Made Into Discs

"Steady" Ed Headrick, the California inventor who figured out a way to make the Frisbee fly fast and straight, has died at the age of 78. His family said his ashes will be made into Frisbees.

Headrick died in his sleep early Monday at his home in La Selva Beach, California, his son Ken told the Santa Cruz Sentinel on Tuesday.

While no services are now planned, Headrick's ashes will be molded into a limited number of "memorial flying discs" that will be distributed to family and friends, and sold to help fund a future Frisbee/disc golf history and memorabilia museum, his son, Ken Headrick, said.

The elder Headrick, who had high blood pressure, had suffered two strokes while attending the Professional Disc Golf Association Amateur World Championships in Miami last month and returned home to California after doctors determined that his condition was likely to deteriorate.

Hailed as the father of the modern Frisbee, Headrick helped to perfect the popular flying disc beloved by generations of college students while working at Emeryville, California-based toymaker Wham-O Inc. in 1964.

The Frisbee -- said to be named after the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, whose round metal tins were used as toys by students at Yale University in the late 19th Century -- took on new life with the advent of industrial plastics.

After World War II, an inventor named Walter Morrison worked on perfecting a plastic version of the toy and came up with the "Pluto Platter" prototype, a plastic mini-flying saucer.

But the platter still proved to be a wobbly throw. Headrick, who was then working on research and development at Wham-O, took a look at the design and added aerodynamic ridges on the top of the disc, making it more flight-worthy.

Awarded the patent for the first "professional" model Frisbee in 1966, Headrick went on to popularize a wide variety of Frisbee-related sports, founding the International Frisbee Association and later the Professional Disc Golf Association, which involves throwing a Frisbee at a metal cage.

"We all wished for a miracle that would have had him up and out of bed throwing discs and joking around once again. That miracle that was Ed will have to live on in our hearts and souls now," the Disc Golf Association said in a release on Tuesday.

Headrick is survived by his wife as well several children and grandchildren.

In an interview with the Santa Cruz Sentinel last year, Headrick acknowledged the special power of the Frisbee -- one of the simplest and most successful toys ever devised.

"I felt the Frisbee had some kind of a spirit involved. It's not just like playing catch with a ball. It's the beautiful flight," Headrick said.

"We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion -- 'Frisbyterians,' we'd call ourselves," he said. "When we die, we don't go to purgatory. We just land up on the roof and lay there."

Courtney Love, Universal Talks Going Well-Sources

Talks between rock star Courtney Love and Universal Music to settle a closely-watched breach of contract case are progressing well and court hearings scheduled for next week could be called off, sources close to the dispute said on Wednesday.

"The next hearing is Aug. 20, but I think it's going to be resolved," said one person familiar with the discussions, adding that lawyers for both sides recently indicated they may not attend court on that date.

"Negotiations are going well," a source close to the controversial singer said. Sources declined to give any further details, and also warned the talks could still fall apart.

Officials for Universal Music, a unit of Vivendi Universal, declined comment. Love's attorney, Barry Cappello, also declined comment.

In June, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Fumiko Wasserman delayed the start of the trial as mediation talks continued in the breach of contract case. The Aug. 20 hearing was to set a trial date in the case in which a unit of Universal claims that Love owes it five records and Love claims she was cheated out of substantial royalties .

Industry analysts are closely monitoring the lawsuit, pitting the litigious pop diva, the widow of Nirvana's late bandleader Kurt Cobain, against the world's largest record group, as a pop artist-led movement challenging the terms of recording contracts gains momentum.

In a separate bitter legal dispute in Seattle over the management of Nirvana's back catalog, sources said that Love has made a written settlement proposal.

Love is suing the remaining members of Cobain's grunge band over ownership of the group's recordings and songs in the case worth millions of dollars in royalties.

Irish superstar Bono of the group U2 has been asked to testify for Love, while the band's former bandmembers Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic questioned Courtney's mental stability in court papers filed this year.

However, sources familiar with that case said that Love has recently made a written settlement proposal to the band's members. "They have not responded yet, but lawyers for Love were told to expect a response soon," said a source familiar with that case.

Love's lawyer in that case, O. Yale Lewis, declined comment, while the bandmember's lawyers also declined comment.

LAWSUITS, GALORE

While Love has charged ahead with lobbying for new laws to help struggling artists, industry figures have charged the singer/actress with being greedy and litigious.

Love's attorney in the Universal case, Cappello, had initially said a settlement was unlikely, but in June said that mediation was continuing. "While we are closer, we are not close," he said in June, referring to a settlement. The tide has apparently turned, according to sources.

The case's roots date back to December 1999 when Love decided to stop recording for Geffen, the Universal Music label named in the suit. Last year, Geffen/Universal Music sued Love, seeking millions of dollars in damages for five undelivered albums. Love countersued, also in 2001.

Universal's complaint and Love's cross-complaint will be tried together if the case goes to trial.

While several of Love's key claims have already been dismissed, the case is being watched as several pop artists challenge record labels over contract terms they say rob them of their rightful income from records.

Love has been involved with a coalition of stars led by Eagles frontman Don Henley who are lobbying for new California legislation that would free artists from what they say is "indentured servitude" to record companies because of a loophole in state labor law.

The California State Senate Committee said Wednesday that it will hold a hearing on record company accounting practices on Sept. 24.

Springsteen CD Still Boss of Music Charts

Bruce Springsteen kept a firm grip on the top spot on the album charts for the second straight week, despite a 55% slide in sales.

"The Rising" (Columbia), Springsteen's first disc of new material since 1995, sold just under 239,000 units, according to numbers released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan. The Jersey-born rock legend recently launched a U.S. tour to support the release, backed for the first time in a decade by the E Street Band.

The Boss was followed in the rankings by a trio of Universal Music Group hip-hop stars. Nelly rebounded one spot to second with "Nellyville" (Universal), selling 208,000 units, followed by Eminem's "The Eminem Show" (Interscope/Shady), which jumped two places and scanned nearly 173,000 discs. "Show" is now within a week's sales of quintuple-platinum status.

At fourth, Geto Boys alumnus Scarface made his mark as the highest debut of the session. "Fix" (Def Jam), the veteran rapper's seventh disc and his first since departing Virgin Records for UMG, shifted nearly 160,000 copies.

Meanwhile, Florida rapper Trick Daddy scored the sixth position with "Thug Holiday" (Atlantic), which sold 130,000 discs.

The strong debuts came amid a generally languid week for the top-performing records: All but two of the returning top-20 releases posted sales declines.

Both of those exceptions have been moving steadily up the charts on patient marketing and strong word of mouth. Avril Lavigne's "Let's Go" (Arista) slipped from eight to nine, but sales edged 3% higher to 115,000. And John Mayer's "Room for Squares" (Columbia) climbed one spot to 19, nudging sales upward by 2%.

The third-highest debut of the frame was the soundtrack to Vin Diesel actioner "XXX" (Universal). The score, which includes tracks from several hip-hop and nu metal superstars, landed at No. 11 and sold 76,000 copies leading up to the film's $44.5 million weekend bow.

Also opening strong was "Layin' Da Smack Down" (Loud/Sony) from rapper Project Pat, which sold 68,000 units and claimed the 12th spot. Further down, country singer songwriter Phil Vassar bowed at 44 with "American Child" (Arista), moving 24,000 discs.

The Boss remains the frontrunner for next week's sales crown, with few major contenders on the horizon. Look for respectable debuts, however, from folkie songwriter James Taylor and Snoop Dogg proteges the Doggystyle Allstars.

DreamWorks Ponies Up for 'Spirit' Video Release

With opening-weekend sales becoming as critical to the success of a video release as they are to theatrical releases, DreamWorks is mounting a disproportionately large marketing campaign for the Nov. 19 video release of its animated "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron."

Kelley Avery, head of worldwide video for DreamWorks, said the studio has put together more partners for "Spirit," which generated $73 million at the box office this summer, than it did for the video release of the $268 million "Shrek" last year. The movie is being released just one week before Fox debuts the video version of its computer-animated hit "Ice Age."

Although DreamWorks will not spend as many "hard dollars" on the "Spirit" campaign as on "Shrek," Avery said there will be more exposure of the title through promotions such as a specially designed stamp for the U.S. Postal Service's "The Spirit That Moved America" campaign during the holidays and a four-month art contest and promotional partnership with kids soccer group AYSO.

Whereas the DVD of "Shrek" included a first-ever feature allowing users to record their own voice in place of the dialogue in the film, among the many extras on the DVD of "Spirit" is a new technology that allows users to create their own movie incorporating pictures of themselves.

Muppet Pinball Mayhem Is Awesome!

Digital Eclipse has produced the first pinball game release for the Gameboy Advance and it features THE MUPPETS!

Muppet Pinball Mayhem is a compilation of four different, original pinball machines, each with a Muppet character as the theme.

Features
* Four tables
* Competition and Adventure modes
* Battery save
* Four player (hot seat mode)
* Only for Game Boy Advance

From the start, you can play in three different tables: Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo. A fourth, hidden table can be unlocked, but you'll need to go through the game's Adventure mode and unlock it...but one you've done the dirty deed, it's unlocked for good thanks to the included battery save.

The game engine itself is a simple vertical scroller that follows the ball up and back into the playfield of each of the four tables. But internally, the engine handles the ball physics as close to realistic as possible -- the silver ball thumps off objects, flippers and bumpers with true-to-life motion. And yep, if you successfully accomplish certain tasks on a table, you'll be able to lock balls in play for multiball action...up to three of these balls will bounce around the playfield, and it's a challenge keeping them all in play.

Muppet Pinball Mayhem is a blast and and I had to stop playing to work on the site, but I am going back to play right now!

Mike Judge Takes On Live Action Again

Mike Judge, creator of the wildly successful KING OF THE HILL and BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD, has committed to directing his first live action film since 1999's OFFICE SPACE.

The first up is 3001, a film Judge wrote with Ethan Cohen. It centers around a man that wakes up 1,000 years in the future to find that the world is so dumbed down that he is the smartest man alive.

The second is MEAT IN THE FREEZER, a script he conceptualized with Steve Zahn and wrote with Clay Tarver. Zahn will serve as technical consultant and likely star as a hunter. Judge hopes it will do for hunting what CADDYSHACK did for golf. The story arose out of a differing opinion that the three had on hunting, as Zahn is the only real-life hunter. Judge explained, "Steve's the real deal, like just about all of my friends in high school who hunted and who get all charged up with this primal hunter-gatherer thing that apparently grips everyone outside of Manhattan and Hollywood.

"I remember once being in a camera shop where this woman was getting a photo framed of her eight-year-old son, standing next to this dead buck, with all this blood running down its neck. She thrusts it at me, saying with all sincerity, 'Oh, my God, isn't that the cutest thing?' Clay got a couple of videos they advertised on hunting shows on the Outdoor Life Network. There's this laid back musical score which accompanies footage reminiscent of the Zapruder film."

Judge said they have found a way to satirize the sport without offending any who participate, "It revolves around these hunting guides and this 18-point albino buck, a trophy of a lifetime, that everybody is trying to get during a two-week season."

Snoop Dogg Gets Excited for Muppets

Apparently Snoop Dogg, whose stage name partially derives from his resemblance to the Peanuts character Snoopy, isn't only fond of four-legged hounds, he also likes frogs. Well, at least, Kermit The Frog, the lead puppet for the popular Muppets series.

Snoop Dogg will make a cameo in A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie scheduled to air during the holiday season on NBC.

"Naw, I seen the script. It's tight. It's just kids' stuff, ya know. You know that I'm saying, just something for the kids. And I got three kids. So I think I'm going to take my kids with me out there so they can meet him too, you know. And do something special. Yeah, me and Kermit The Frog. Imagine that," he said.

In addition to Kermit The Frog, the show also stars Miss Piggy, Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Cusack, and David Arquette, in the first-ever made-for-television Muppet movie.

HOT DATE

A Beverly Hills judge setting an August 26 date for pretrial motions in Winona Ryder's shoplifting case. Ryder has pleaded innocent to four felony counts following her December arrest.

WHO CAN IT BE NOW?

Colin Hay, lead singer of the '80s Australian band Men at Work, signing on to guest star as a troubadour on the season premiere of NBC's Scrubs September 26.

TROJAN MAN

Director Wolfgang Petersen putting his much-anticipated Superman vs. Batman project on hold in order to direct and produce Troy, an adventure based on Homer's The Iliad slated for a 2004 release, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Elvis Presley named the top-earning dead celebrity of the past year, according to Forbes magazine. Presley earned $37 million from June 2001 to June 2002, topping Peanuts creator Charles Schulz (second place, $28 million) and John Lennon (third place, $20 million).

Manager: Priestley Will Race Again

As Jason Priestley recovered from head and spinal injuries he suffered in a high-speed crash, his auto racing team manager said he had no doubt the actor would drive again.

"He's a fighter, one of the toughest little guys I know," Kelley Racing team manager Jim Freudenberg said less than 24 hours after the former "Beverly Hills, 90210" heartthrob was seriously injured during practice at the Kentucky Speedway.

"He doesn't give up easily. If I'm going to keep him out of a race car, it's going to be a fight. That's just the way he is."

Priestley, 32, faces weeks of healing and rehabilitation but is expected to fully recover, doctors said Monday.

He was airlifted from the University of Kentucky Hospital to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis late Monday afternoon, and he remained in serious but stable condition Tuesday morning.

He had made previous arrangements to be transferred to the facility here, which has treated several other Indy Racing League drivers, in the event he was involved in a serious accident.

Priestley crashed Sunday during practice for an Infiniti Pro Series race at the speedway in Sparta, Ky. He suffered a broken back, a moderate concussion, a broken nose, fractures in both feet and a host of cuts and bruises on his face and neck.

Priestley was fitted with a back brace Monday to determine the stability of the fracture in his ninth thoracic vertebra. Tests showed no immediate signs of paralysis or permanent neurological damage.

Dr. Andrew Bernard, a UK Hospital trauma surgeon, said he probably would not need spinal surgery but likely would require surgery to repair the broken bones in his feet.

"I'd say it's going to be many weeks before he's back up and doing some of the things that he likes to do," Bernard said.

Hospital officials said family members, friends and members of the Kelley Racing team stayed with Priestley day and night to offer support.

Priestley, a native of British Columbia, starred as Brandon Walsh in the Fox network's "Beverly Hills, 90210," which ran from 1990 to 2000.

Freudenberg, who has known Priestley for over a decade, said a sense of dread washed over him when he couldn't reach Priestley by radio after the crash.

"I asked him to respond, and he didn't," Freudenberg began. "I asked him again, and still there was no response, and that was tough.

"It's a little more than him just being a driver for our race team. He's a very good friend, and that was one of the hardest days of my life."

There Are Many 9/11 DVDs And Videos Available

Here's a sampling of the 9/11 DVDs and videos out on the market:

* 9/11: The Filmmakers Commemorative (Paramount Home Entertainment, $30 DVD and $25 VHS; in stores Sept. 12). French filmmakers Jules and Gedeon Naudet were shooting a movie about a rookie New York City fireman when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Real-time footage — not a montage or compilation — was originally broadcast on CBS. (It's nominated for five Emmys, including outstanding non-fiction special.) The documentary now has an additional 50 minutes of interviews, plus 20 more minutes of footage — minus host Robert De Niro.

* 11th of September: Bill Moyers in Conversation (New Video, $25 DVD and $20 VHS, out now). PBS TV talk-show host Bill Moyers hosts a series of interviews with such guests as author Robert Lifton and Harvard religion editor Diana Eck, beginning two days after the attacks.

* America 911: We Will Never Forget (Spectrum Films, $25 DVD and VHS, out now). The first 24 hours are captured through footage of the attack and "man in the street" interviews with survivors, rescue workers and other witnesses. Video journalists from CameraPlanet.com shot all the scenes. This was the first 9/11 video released, in October.

* America: A Tribute to Heroes (Warner Music, $20 DVD and VHS, out now). This two-hour telethon was recorded 10 days after the attack and features performances by such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Limp Bizkit and Stevie Wonder.

* CNN Tribute: America Remembers (Warner Music, $15 DVD and $10 VHS, arriving in stores Aug. 20). Part 1 of this two-part documentary from CNN is devoted to the attacks and early rescue efforts, while Part 2 focuses on the aftermath. Included are a timeline of events, eyewitness accounts, reports on homeland security and Operation Enduring Freedom, and an examination of the post-9/11 anthrax attacks.

* In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01 (HBO Home Video, $20 DVD and VHS, arrives Sept. 3). Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his staff provide the backdrop of the fateful day. Video footage and photography are provided from 16 news organizations and more than 100 New Yorkers are shown. Originally aired on HBO in May, it is nominated for the same five Emmys as 9/11: The Filmmakers Commemorative.

* New York Firefighters: The Brotherhood of 9/11 (Artisan Home Entertainment, 52 minutes, $20 DVD and $15 VHS, arrives Aug. 20). Profiles of the men of Rescue 3, who were among the first to arrive at the World Trade Center after the planes hit. Also included are interviews with the wives and children of the firefighters who died. It originally aired on The Discovery Channel.

* NOVA: Why the Towers Fell (WGBH Boston, $20 DVD and VHS, released July 9, 2002). NOVA documentary film crews follow a blue-ribbon team of forensic engineers as they search for clues on why the Twin Towers fell. It includes interviews with survivors and rescue personnel.

* The Concert for New York City (Warner Music, $30 DVD and VHS, available now). The historic benefit concert held in Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20 was organized by Paul McCartney and featured a wide array of performers, from Eric Clapton and the Who to the Goo Goo Dolls.

* World Trade Center: Anatomy of the Collapse (Artisan Home Entertainment, 52 minutes, $20 DVD and $15 VHS, arrives in stores Aug. 20). This special provides a scientific look at what happened to the towers from impact to collapse and includes interviews with the creators of the World Trade Center and eyewitness accounts. It originally aired on The Learning Channel.

* WTC: The First 24 Hours (New Video, $20 DVD and VHS, out now). The first day at Ground Zero are documented, with no narration or added sound. It won high marks at the Sundance Film Festival and includes both the original documentary and an expanded version.

Spielberg Makes an Indy Promise to Lucas

Despite the fact that he once said that compared to digital filming, shooting on film is like "is like an impressionist painting," Steven Spielberg says that he would shoot INDIANA JONES IV digitally if partner George Lucas asked him to. "I'd do anything for George," said Spielberg, "and if George asked me to shoot Indiana Jones 4 on digital, I'd do it. But my duties will always be to shoot on film."

Elfman Joins LOONEY TUNES

Jenna Elfman (DHARMA AND GREG) has committed to starring alongside Brendan Fraser in the new live-action/animation film LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION. In the story, the Looney Tunes characters enter the real world and travel from Hollywood to Las Vegas to Africa in search of a diamond. Director Joe Dante willl work from a script by Larry Doyle (THE SIMPSONS).

Today's Tecnological Oddity:

The word "iBook" is not automatically in my iBook's spell checker.

Hmmm....

Oh, Baby!

Two words: September 3rd!

Today's New Releases

Here it is, Tuesday August 13th, 2002, and I have been listening to the new Bruce Springsteen CD non- stop for about 2 months now.

Why? You ask...well, 2 reasons. The first one is that it is just that good! But the second one is because there just hasn't been anything else to listen to.

And this week is no exception.

Blah, blah, blah!

Here are the new CD releases for Tuesday, August 13, 2002:

* ALABAMA Legendary (RCA)
* ALLISON MOORER Miss Fortune (Universal South)
* B2K V1 Remixes (Epic)
* BAADASSSS CINEMA OST Baadassss Cinema OST (TVT)
* BEATSTEAKS Living Targets (Epitaph)
* BLUE Blue...A Year In The Life Of (DVD) (Virgin)
* BLUE CRUSH OST Blue Crush OST (Virgin)
* BRANFORD MARSALIS Footsteps Of Our Fathers (Rounder)
* CHARLIE CHRISTIAN Selected Broadcasts & Jam Sessions (JSP Records)
* EVERCLEAR White Trash From Hell (Fire)
* EVERLY BROTHERS A Night At The Royal Albert Hall (Cleopatra)
* FOREIGNER Double Vision (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FOREIGNER Head Games (Remaster) (Rhino)
* FROU FROU Details (Island)
* FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON The Isness (Navarre)
* GUTTERMOUTH Gusto! (Epitaph)
* JADE ANDERSON Dive Deeper (Columbia)
* JEFF TAIN WATTS Bar Talk (Sony)
* JENIFER MCLAREN Nightlight (Nettwerk)
* KEITH SWEAT Rebirth (Elektra)
* KEITH URBAN Somebody Like You (CD Single) (Capitol)
* KELLY PRICE Priceless (Def Jam)
* KING OLIVER 1920 - 30 (JSP Records)
* LEXXUS AKA Mr. Lex (VP)
* LOUDERMILK The Red Record
* MARY J. BLIGE Dance For Me Remix (MCA)
* MARY MARY Incredible (Columbia)
* MASTER OF DISGUISE OST Master of Disguise OST (Sony)
* MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING OST My Big Fat Greek Wedding OST (Sony)
* NEK Le Cosa Da Difendere (Warner International)
* NORMAN HUTCHINS Nobody But You (Navarre)
* PAUL OAKENFOLD A Voyage Into Trance (Cleopatra)
* POGUES Streams Of Whiskey (Sanctuary Records)
* PROJECT PAT Layin Da Smack Down (Sony)
* PULP Separations (Fire)
* SEPULTURA Chaos (DVD Video) (Roadrunner)
* SPARTA The Wiretap Scars (Universal)
* SPLENDER To Whom It May Concern
* TEENAGE FANCLUB A Catholic Education (Navarre)
* THE WHO Ultimate Collection (MCA)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS New Country 9 (Universal)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Snoop Dogg Presents...Doggy Style All Stars (Doggy Style Records)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Blue Light One (Nettwerk)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Blazing Hot Gospel (Navarre)

Dancing With DVD Wolves

We've got some details on MGM's forthcoming Dances with Wolves: Special Edition DVD for you today. Look for the 2-disc set to street early next year, complete with the 232-minute European version of the film in anamorphic widescreen (by comparison the U.S. release clocked in at 181 minutes), a pair of newly-recorded, feature-length audio commentaries (including one with director/star Kevin Costner), multiple "behind-the-scenes" documentaries, trailers and much more. Should be a very cool release for fans. We'll have more specific details for you in a future update.

The New Releases That Will Be In Stores Today Are...

There are a slew of titles being released today that weren't worth seeing in theatres but are worth a rental. So go! Rent! But you may not enjoy them as they aren't that good.

But then again, perhaps you aren't as discriminating as I am.

SO, UP FIRST, THE MAJOR TITLES

Showtime- Two opposite cops partner for a reality cop TV show. Great concept, poor execution. (Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, Rene Russo)

Clockstoppers- Teenager finds machine that freezes time. Think of this as a "Back To The Future" for people who have yet to see how good "Back To The Future" is. (Jesse Bradford, French Stewart, Paula Garces)

In The Bedroom- A mother and father have to deal with a family tragedy. Well, acted, incredible film, but way overhyped. (Sissy Spacek, Marisa Tomei)

The New Guy- High school geek reinvents himself thanks to inmate friends. You'll get a chuckle or two, but not that many. (DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Eddie Griffin)

Birthday Girl- Man life takes a turn when his mail-order bride is delivered. Nicole Kidman had back to back hits with "Moulin Rouge" and "The Others" but this was not three in a row. (Nicole Kidman, Vincent Cassel, Ben Chaplin)

AND THEN THERE ARE THE REST (And man that is a huge list!)

100 Girls
15 Minutes
24 Hours In London
54
976-EVIL
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (Widescreen)
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (Full Screen)
The Accidental Spy
Achille's Love
After The Storm
Against The Law
Alien Visitors
Almost Famous
Almost Famous (Director's Cut)
Analyze This
Animal Attraction II
Animal Instincts 2
Another Stakeout
Apartment Zero
Armed Response
The Assault
At War With The Army
The Bare Wench Project
Battle Of China
Battle Of Russia
Beaches
Believe
Big Business
Black Cobra
Blast 'Em
Blink 182: Interviews
Blue Desert
The Bone Collector
Boris And Natasha
Breakfast Of Champions
Bride Of Chucky
The Bronx War
The Brotherhood Of Satan
Bubble Boy
Camilla
Can It Be Love
Can't Buy Me Love
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Captured
Carousel
Castle Of Blood
Chaindance
Child's Play 2
Children Of The Corn 666: Isaac's Return
Children Of The Corn IV: The Gathering
Children Of The Corn V
Children Of The Corn: Revelation
The Chinese Connection 2
Clockstoppers
Cocktail
Con Air
Conspiracy
Coyote Ugly
Crimson Tide
Crocodile 2: Death Swamp
The Crow
The Crow Collection (Boxed Set)
The Crow: City Of Angels (Collector's Edition)
The Crow: Salvation
Curse Of The Demon
Dangerous Minds
Darkman (Snap Case)
Darkman II: The Return Of Durant (Snap Case)
The Day It Came To Earth
Dead Homiez
Deadly Scavengers
Dealers
Deathfight
Def By Temptation
The Delivery
Delta Heat
Demolition University
Desire
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
Devil Doll (Special Edition)
Divide And Conquer
Down And Out In Beverly Hills
Dr. Seuss: ABC's
Dracula 2000
The Elvis Gift Set
Elvis: Center Stage
Elvis: From The Waist Up
Elvis: The Man & The Music
End Of Days (Collector's Edition)
Exit The Dragon, Enter The Tiger
Female Perversions
The Final Comedown
Flaming Star
Flypaper
Friday (Platinum Collection)
From Dusk Till Dawn (Collector's Edition)
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money
From Dusk Till Dawn 3
The From Dusk Till Dawn Complete Set
The Giant Gila Monster
The Gingerbread Man
Gone In 60 Seconds
Goodfellas
Grand Tour: Disaster In Time
Halloween: H2O
Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers
Hammerlock
Head Over Heels
Heavy Gear: Battle For The Badlands
Heavy Gear: Dragon's Shadow
Hellraiser: Bloodline
Hellraiser: Inferno
Henry & Verlin
Hide And Seek
An Ideal Husband
In The Bedroom
Jaws 2
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back
Josie And The Pussycats
Josie And The Pussycats (PG Version)
K-PAX
Kelly Osbourne: Papa Don't Preach
The King And I
The Last Castle
Last Orders
The Living End
Loaded
Love Me Tender
Love Reinvented
Love Serenade
Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence
Mean Streets
Meet The Hollowheads
Mimic 2
MLB: When Baseball Rocks
Motel
The Musketeer
The Neighbor
Notting Hill
Oklahoma!
Pauline And Paulette
Prayer Of The Rollerboys
The Preacher's Wife
Psycho (Collector's Edition)
Race To Space
Raising Cain
Raw Target
Reindeer Games
Return Of The Tiger
The Return Of The Vampire
The Revenge Of Frankenstein
Road Trip
Road Trip (Unrated)
The Rock
Rodger's & Hammerstein 6 Pk DVD (6-Disc Set)
Rolie Polie Olie: Great Defender Of Fun
Samantha
Scary Movie
Scary Movie 2
Scratch
Scream (Collector's Edition)
Scream 2
Scream 3
Scream Trilogy (Boxed Set)
Session 9
Sexual Matrix
Sexual Matrix (Unrated)
Shadow Warriors 2
Shattered Image
Shocker
Shot In The Heart
The Skulls II
Slap Shot 2: Breaking The Ice
Sleepers
Snow White: A Tale Of Terror
Snuffed Out
So Little Time, Vol. 1: School's Cool
So Little Time, Vol. 2: Boy Crazy
South Pacific
Spy Game (Widescreen)
Spy Game (Full Screen)
Spy Hard
Stakeout
State Fair
Storm Trooper
The Strike
Tales Of The Kama Sutra
Tease
Terror Toons
Thirteen Days
Tremors II: Aftershocks (Snap Case)
Twice Upon A Yesterday
Village Of The Damned
Virus
Wag The Dog
Wet Hot American Summer
What Have You Done To Solange
What Lies Beneath (DTS)
Wild In The Country
Wolfen

No Towers Trailer for Spidey DVD

Columbia TriStar has announced that the original trailer for SPIDER-MAN, which depicted a helicopter trapped between the towers of the World Trade Center, will not make the DVD.

Details about the next season of NBC's ED.

Carol and Dennis come back from their summer vacation closer than when they left, and begin planning their wedding. Ed is obviously depressed about this, hires a wheelchair-bound man named Eli as the bowling alley’s manager, and - inspired by a nomadic thirtysomething named Frank who lives in a mobile home - considers leaving Stuckeyville for good.

Carol, though, comes to suspect that Dennis is too controlling, as has been passive-aggressively manipulating her wedding decisions.

When Eli beats Phil at basketball, Phil develops a theory that Eli’s wheelchair gives him an unfair advantage. Phil acquires a wheelchair of his own and demands a rematch.

Nancy Burton, meanwhile, goes back to work - this time as Stuckyville High’s new guidance counselor. She endures a rocky start, but ends up making a difference in an unexpected way.

AILING

Close friends saying former president Ronald Reagan's condition is rapidly deteroriating in his battle with Alzheimer's disease, the Associated Press reports. Reagan, 91, reportedly no longer recognizes his wife, Nancy.

NO HELP

Virgin Records refusing to pay the funeral costs for preparing the body of Aaliyah and flying it back to the United States following her death in a Bahamas plane crash last year, Time magazine reports. A funeral home director in the Bahamas says Virgin owes her $68,000.

NOT SO BLUE HAWAII

Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley tying the knot Saturday on the Big Island of Hawaii, their publicists confirmed Monday. Staff at their hotel tell the newspaper that mom Priscilla Presley attended the ceremony, along with Cage's son from a previous marriage.

TV Execs Struggle With 9/11 Specials

The last place Susan Ferugio wants to be Sept. 11 is in front of a television.

Stones to Get Their Kicks with Historic 'Licks' CD

For the first time in their 40-year history, the Rolling Stones will release a greatest hits album that covers their entire career, the band's labels said on Monday.

The group famously lost control of its 1960s hits such as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Paint It, Black" to its former manager, New York accountant Allen Klein, in the early 1970s. Relations between the two camps have only just started to thaw.

With the band preparing to begin a two-year world tour in Boston next month, Klein's ABKCO Records label has joined forces with the Stones' current Virgin Records label to issue a 2-CD compilation entitled "Forty Licks."

The first CD will cover the ABKCO years, the second will include the hits from 1971 onwards, including "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up," as well as four newly recorded tracks.

The album will be released on Sept. 23 in Japan, Oct. 1 in North America, and a day earlier in every other territory.

Referring to vocalist Mick Jagger, Klein said in a statement, "Mick asked that we should try to 'Square the Circle' -- The Stones wanted it and I'm happy we could do it with them."

A spokesman revealed the title of only one of the four new tracks, "Don't Stop," which will be released as a single later this month.

Separately, ABKCO will on Aug. 20 reissue digitally remastered versions of 22 Rolling Stones albums, including some that have long been unavailable on CD such as the U.K. versions of 1967's "Between the Buttons" and 1965's "Out of Our Heads."

The Stones will begin their North American tour of theaters, arenas and stadiums at Boston's FleetCenter on Sept. 3. Next year, they will visit Europe, Australia and possibly -- for the first time -- China. The band held high-level talks in the late 1970s with Chinese officials to tour the country, but they foundered.

Virgin Records, a unit of EMI Group Plc., distributes the Stones' post-1971 recordings under an exclusive license granted by the group. Closely held ABKCO's releases are distributed internationally by Universal Music Group, a unit of Vivendi Universal.

Elle 'The Body' Macpherson Is Expecting Again

Supermodel Elle Macpherson said on Monday she and her fiancé Arpad Busson are expecting their second child.

The baby is due in early February, Macpherson said in a statement.

Macpherson, dubbed "The Body" at the height of her fame as a model, was engaged to her long-time boyfriend Busson earlier this year. The couple has a 4-year-old son, Flynn.

Actor Jason Priestley Improving After Racing Crash

Actor Jason Priestley has temporary memory loss after a weekend racing car accident in which he broke his back but should recover from his injuries, his doctors said on Monday.

The Canadian-born Priestley, 32, best-known for his role as a teen heartthrob in the decade-long run of the TV show "Beverly Hills, 90210," was able to speak his name to assembled family and friends and was taken off a respirator.

"He is becoming more aware of his surroundings. He can verbalize his name. He can recognize his family and friends. His neurological function is the key here," said Dr. Stephen Stapczynski of the Kentucky Medical Center.

The memory loss from the moderate concussion Priestley sustained in the 180 mph crash should wear off, but he will need surgery to repair his broken back, the doctor said. He could move his extremities when asked, and apparently did not suffer any paralysis.

Priestley also suffered fractures to both feet and lacerations on the bridge of his nose, left cheek and neck. He was listed in serious but stable condition.

"He doesn't have any injury that he shouldn't recover (from)," Stapczynski told reporters.

"Obviously, we're avoiding stressing him. We're not wanting him to work too hard. ... We're letting him rest and recover."

Later on Monday, Priestley was flown to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, which is renowned for its treatment of injured race drivers.

Priestley's car, a smaller version of the type raced on the Indy car circuit, apparently ran over a patch of "oil-dry," an absorbent material used to soak up oil from another car, during the final practice for the Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series in Sparta, Kentucky. The car turned sideways, then corrected and slammed head-on into the outside wall.

Priestley is an experienced driver who has raced competitively for 10 years and was ranked seventh in points after three races in the series, league officials said.

The 100-mile race was run later on Sunday, with series points leader A.J. Foyt IV taking the checkered flag. Priestley had qualified his Dallara-Infiniti on Saturday for a start next to pole-sitter Foyt.

Priestley won a 1998 Grand-Am race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and has worked for ABC Sports as an announcer for Indy Racing League broadcasts.

Presley, the 'King,' Cracks 100 Million in Sales

Fans around the world may take a moment of silence to observe the 25th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley this week, but the roar of cash registers to mark the occasion will be deafening.

Demonstrating that the King's selling power is now hotter than ever, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on Monday announced the sales total of the "King of Rock 'n Roll" recently reached 100 million albums in the United States, up from 80 million at its last count.

The new tally puts him behind only the Beatles who have sold 165 million units in the United States, and veteran rockers Led Zeppelin and country star Garth Brooks, who have each sold 105 million units.

With only days to go before the Aug. 16 anniversary of Presley's passing, the "Elvis-mania" marketing machine has gone full tilt, with various posthumous tributes being planned all week near his home at Graceland in Memphis, as well as around the world and on the Internet.

A newly released remix of a 1960s Presley song "A Little Less Conversation," recently climbed the pop charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States, and Bertelsmann AG's RCA in September plans to release "Elvis 30 No 1 Hits," a compilation of chart-topping songs, which industry experts say could sell millions of copies.

"Reaching this milestone now is a perfect tribute to the legendary career of Elvis Presley," said RIAA Chairman and chief executive officer Hilary Rosen, referring to the 100 million unit sales total.

"He was and will always be a cultural, musical and an American icon. We have long known that due to scattered sales data from the early years of Elvis' career, the true volume and scope of his sales have not been reflected," she said.

Presley holds the record for the most chart hits, the most top-10 singles and most weeks at No. 1, according to music trade magazine Billboard Magazine.

The RIAA said it will continue to work closely with RCA, Presley's label, to keep track of his sales.

Among Presley's best-selling albums are "Heart and Soul," "The Rock 'n' Roll Era," "It's Christmas Time," "Platinum: A Life In Music," and "The Legend Lives On."

In all, Presley has received 88 Gold Records (selling at least 500,000 units), 45 of which have gone on to be certified Platinum (selling at least one million units) and 22 have gone on to multi-Platinum status, selling two million units or higher, the RIAA said.

His highest certified album is "Elvis' Christmas Album" which has been certified for the sale of more than seven million copies, the RIAA said.

Cage, Presley Reportedly Marry

Lisa Marie Presley reportedly has gotten hitched again.

A published report in Hawaii says Presley tied the knot Saturday with actor Nicolas Cage in a ceremony on the Big Island.

Hotel staff tell The Honolulu Advertiser that Lisa Marie's mother Priscilla attended, along with Cage's son from a previous marriage.

The 34-year-old Presley previously was married to Michael Jackson.

Artwork, But No Date

That is the artwork for the upcoming DVD release of Men In Black II, which will bow later this year.

START SPREADING THE NEWS?

A group of New York-based entertainment executives attempting to persuade the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to move at least part of next year's Oscar ceremony to the Big Apple. New York Governor George Pataki, Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Miramax Films honcho Harvey Weinstein are part of a group lobbying the Academy in an effort to help New York recover from September 11.

Yummy, Yummy, Singing Kylie

It has taken over a decade but pop princess Kylie Minogue of Australia seems to have finally shed her "singing budgie" nickname in her homeland. With record sales topping 30 million and a new sexy image, Minogue has returned home to a euphoric reception. Minogue is seen performing during the Brit Awards at Earls Court in London in this file photo taken February 20, 2002, which just happened to be my 34th birthday.

Springsteen Fans Sold Fake Tickets

They thought they had the hottest ticket in town — but dozens of Bruce Springsteen fans were disappointed Saturday night.

At least 100 people were turned away from the show at Washington's MCI Center because the tickets they bought from scalpers were fake.

Many of the people with the worthless tickets had traveled hundreds of miles to see "The Boss" on his U.S. tour.

Police arrested a few suspected scalpers.

Springsteen opened a 46-city tour of North America and Europe on Wednesday night at the Continental Airlines Arena in his home state of New Jersey.

Half of the 22-song set Wednesday came from Springsteen's new album, "The Rising," chiefly inspired by last year's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

"The Rising" rose to No. 1 in its first week, selling about 526,000 copies. The figures, released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan, represent the best debut of Springsteen's career.

The album is Springsteen's first with longtime collaborators the E Street Band since 1984's smash "Born in the USA."

The 10-member band features crowd-favorite saxophonist Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa and Steven Van Zandt — who also appears on HBO's "The Sopranos."

Chuck D Speaks on Elvis' Legacy

Public Enemy frontman Chuck D derided Elvis Presley on the group's 1989 anthem "Fight The Power," but it turns out his feelings for Presley are a little more complicated than the song suggests.

"As a musicologist — and I consider myself one — there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions. As a black people, we all knew that," the rapper said.

"My whole thing was the one-sidedness — like, Elvis' icon status in America made it like nobody else counted. ... My heroes came from someone else. My heroes came before him. My heroes were probably his heroes. As far as Elvis being 'The King,' I couldn't buy that."

Chuck D spoke to Newsday about Presley's legacy for a 25th anniversary story on the singer's death.

On "Fight the Power," he said of Presley, "Elvis was a hero to most/But he never meant (expletive) to me, you see/Straight up racist that sucker was, simple and plain."

As for whether there is a modern-day Elvis, Chuck D points to Eminem.

"Eminem is the new Elvis because, number one, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had," Chuck D said. "I think he's courteous and sympathetic to black music, and, unfortunately, he's more sympathetic to black music than many black artists themselves."

Public Enemy's new album is "Revolverlution."

Weekend Box Office Results

Explosions, excitement and extreme sports combined for a $46 million dollar box office debut for "XXX," a thriller starring nascent action hero Vin Diesel.

Actor Priestley Fractures Spine in Racing Crash

Actor and racing enthusiast Jason Priestley fractured his spine and suffered a head injury on Sunday when he crashed his car into a wall during practice for the Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series at Kentucky Speedway, officials said.

The 32-year-old Canadian-born actor, best known for starring as teen hunk Brandon Walsh in the long-running television series "Beverly Hills, 90210" was flown to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington.

Henry Bock, medical services director for the Indy Racing League, said Priestley suffered a spinal fracture, a head injury and fractures to both feet. He was "stable and responding" and was listed in serious condition at the hospital where he was undergoing testing.

Asked about Priestley's head injury, Bock said: "Whether that's a concussion at this time, I think we would call it that. We have no indication from any of the scans ... that he has any further damage to his head."

The doctor said Priestley had fractured one of his vertebrae and the injury could be called a broken back, but he was "moving all his extremities" and there was no indication that the spinal cord itself had been damaged.

Priestley has been driving for Kelley Racing in the Indy Racing League's Infiniti Pro Series season, which started in July. The accident occurred early on Sunday during practice when Priestley hit a retaining wall while taking a turn at the racetrack in Sparta, Kentucky.

"It was a one-car crash. He hit the wall," said Kim Miller, spokeswoman for Indy Racing.

Previously Priestley won a 1998 Grand-Am race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Priestley found fame in the 1990s in "90210" before the series ended in 2000 after a 10-year run. He then worked in London, performing in "The Jazz Man" and has starred in numerous films.

He has also worked for ABC Sports as an announcer for Indy Racing League broadcasts, including the Indianapolis 500.

Damon gets Mac teed off

The Bernie Mac Show is turning to one Damon to battle another. Mac's Ocean's Eleven co-star Matt Damon will play himself in an episode of Fox's comedy likely to air Sept. 25, the day Damon Wayans' My Wife and Kids has its third-season premiere on ABC. The comedies, among only a few with black casts, will compete head-on on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, a move Wayans has angrily criticized.

In the Mac episode, Bernie plays in Damon's celebrity golf tournament, which turns into a grudge match after he learns Damon boasted of beating him while shooting Ocean's. Bernie causes a PR disaster, witnessed by Access Hollywood's Pat O'Brien and Damon's golfing partner, Lucy Lawless (Xena, Warrior Princess), also playing themselves.

"He just makes a spectacle and blames everybody but himself for his bad golf game that day," says executive producer Larry Wilmore. Damon and Mac "had so much chemistry" shooting at a Malibu, Calif., golf course this week, Wilmore says. "Bernie has such a big energy level, and Matt is so understated." Wilmore says fans Will Smith and Serena Williams also have expressed interest in doing a guest shot on Mac, schedules permitting.

Serena Williams Wants to be Actress

Serena Williams, the world's top-ranked woman's tennis player, has added struggling actress to her resume.

The 20-year-old says she's been taking classes and has a new acting coach.

"I'm trying to get some parts. A lot of people want me, but my schedule right now is kind of conflicting with my acting," she said Thursday at a tennis tournament in Manhattan Beach.

Williams said she'd love to work with Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins or Morgan Freeman.

And what kind of part would she want to play?

"With my time schedule, I'd have to have a small role," Williams said, "but I'd like the movie to be all about me, so maybe I can get hurt in the beginning of the movie and I can just stay in a coma until the end."

Known as a practical joker, Williams was asked if she was serious about a future in show business.

"I'm very serious as a heart attack," she said, giggling.

Can Diesel Drive Weekend Box Office?

The box office notion of a rising tide lifting all boats has been debunked of late, with "Austin Powers in Goldmember" and "Signs" opening spectacularly as the overall marfket has shrunk.

A similar recipe could be cooking for this weekend, with expectations sky-high for "XXX." The Sony release, arriving Friday, is the kickoff to the first major franchise for Revolution Studios. A sequel is already green-lit, and star Vin Diesel's stock is the anti-WorldCom.

At 3,374 playdates, the picture is wide for mid-August, but a few hundred runs short of "Spider-Man" level. Still, like Spidey, Diesel's Xander Cage alter-ego offers a new wrinkle to an industry obsessed with them.

Tracking suggests it has a good shot at surpassing the $45.1 million pulled in last year by "American Pie 2" in the identical weekend. But will it actually serve as a catalyst? Time will tell.

Despite all the big numbers lighting up the scoreboard, the pace of summer has slowed. Overall grosses have posted year-over-year declines for three successive frames.

The only thing preventing a fourth straight slide could be demographic diversity.

Debuting with "XXX" are Warner Bros.' "Blood Work" and Miramax/Dimension's "Spy Kids 2." The latter got a head start on the weekend by collecting a stellar $4.5 million in its Wednesday bow.

As a Clint Eastwood vehicle, "Blood Work" should have plenty of room to operate among adult audiences. "Spy Kids 2" will vie with carryover "Master of Disguise" for young moviegoers and families.

Summer now stands 6% ahead of the 2001 edition, with year-to-date B.O. up 15%. Like the Dodgers, however, grosses have slumped since the All-Star break.

August is not usually a season for rallies. The month tends to see grosses contract, and there are indications of similar inertia this year.

Universal, producer Imagine and even some rivals liken next weekend's babes-in-bikinis surf movie "Blue Crush" to the classic August sleeper "Bring It On." The other wares on display through Labor Day, however, seem suspiciously discounted.

Attendance has spiked up this summer, to the relief of embattled studios and exhausted exhibitors. Still, the next couple of weeks figure to be a somewhat anxious time at the box office, unless your initials are "XXX."

PUNCH-DRUNK Is Punched Up

Sony Pictures has decided to move Adam Sandler's next film, PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE, from its December release to October 11 in limited release, and a week later nation-wide. The move will keep it away from the next HARRY POTTER film and LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS. Sony is hoping that the dark romantic comedy will be nominated for the Oscars.

#@$%! Cartman!

Warner has finally announced the full specs for South Park: The Complete First Season, arriving on 11/12. In addition to the entire first 13 episodes presented in 4:3 full screen and 2.0 Dolby surround, other treats include intros and audio commentary on every episode by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Jay Leno's South Park guest appearance, the "O Holy Night" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" music videos, and promo spots. Retail is $39.95.

Warrant Issued for Crue's Vince Neil

Motley Crue's Vince Neil is wanted on a misdemeanor battery warrant for allegedly punching a record producer outside a West Hollywood nightclub last April, the district attorney's office reported.

A warrant for Neil's arrest was issued Wednesday, said district attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison. If convicted, the heavy metal band's lead singer could face a maximum of six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Neil's manager, Burt Stein, called the allegation ridiculous, predicting the 41-year-old singer would be "completely exonerated."

Michael Schuman said he was standing outside the Rainbow Room nightclub just after midnight on April 28 when Neil arrived in a red Rolls-Royce sedan, got out and punched him in the face.

Schuman, 47, fell to the ground, fracturing an elbow, while Neil stood over him and taunted him, according to the record producer's attorney, Trent Copeland.

The attorney said there was a delay in prosecuting the case because Neil no longer lives in the area and detectives were unable to locate him.

Stein said Neil has cooperated fully with Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators.

'Citizen Kane' Voted Best Ever Film

The greatest film ever made is "Citizen Kane," according to an international poll of film critics and directors.

The Orson Welles classic was chosen by 144 film critics and directors polled separately by the British Film Institute.

The critics put Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" in second place, followed by Jean Renoir's "La Regle du Jeu."

The directors' second choice was "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II," followed by Federico Fellini's "8-1/2."

Nick James, editor of Sight and Sound, the BFI's magazine, said the twin polls confirmed Welles as the "Shakespeare of modern cinema."

"The Critics' Poll is a touchstone for worldwide film opinion," he said. "For the last 40 years 'Citizen Kane' has topped the Critics' Poll."

"Citizen Kane," the story of an American newspaper baron, made in 1941, pushed the boundaries of cinema and changed the way films were made.

James said it owed its continuing critical acclaim to those advances.

"Pushing all the resources of a Hollywood studio to its limits, the film is a dazzling formal experiment and compelling portrait of a great man's life," he said.

The twin polls have been carried out every 10 years by the BFI since 1952 and are considered prestigious in the film industry.

The critics questioned include Britain's Barry Norman and Jonathan Ross and America's Roger Ebert.

Notable directors who polled their views include Quentin Tarantino, Sam Mendes and Bernardo Bertolucci.

There were no British films among the top tens, although Sir Carol Reed's "The Third Man" was at number 35.

Also notably absent were titles such as "Star Wars" and "Some Like it Hot," which consistently score highly in public surveys.

However, classic musical "Singing in the Rain" was voted tenth most popular by the critics, while "Lawrence of Arabia" scored highly with the directors.

The age of the films was also telling, with the most recent on either list being Martin Scorsese's 1980 movie "Raging Bull" at number six on the directors' list.

Britney Spears To Take A Six Month Break

Pop princess Britney Spears, the one with the sweet ass, is taking a six month break, but her publicist on Thursday denied rumors that the 20 year-old singing sensation was so exhausted and broken-hearted that she was "running home to mom."

"She is taking six months off. She has been working for four years straight and she is taking a break. The girl works harder than anyone in the business and she is taking a break," publicist Lisa Kasteler told Reuters.

Spears' decision came just days after a controversial end to her world tour. She was booed by fans after cutting short her final show in Mexico City because of a torrential rain storm, and made an obscene gesture to paparazzi photographers besieging her car.

The star, who has made three hit albums and a movie since rocketing to fame in 1998, is also said to be devastated over her breakup in March with childhood sweetheart and 'NSYNC singer Justin Timberlake. The breakup of the two-year romance was blamed on conflicting schedules.

Recent tabloid newspaper reports have said that an exhausted Spears was planning to pack in the music business for two years and move back to her home state of Louisiana to live with her mother.

Kasteler however said Spears "is fine, she's happy. It has nothing to do with the things that have been reported.

"She is going to read scripts during the six months. She is going to travel, write music and hang out with her family and friends who she hasn't been able to spend any real time with for a long time. It is that simple. There is no drama here," she said.

"I have no idea where she is going to be. She's going to go to Louisiana. That is her home. It's not her running home to mom. She plans to travel and I'm sure she'll be spending time in L.A and in New York. She has friends everywhere," Kasteler said.

Spears has been working virtually nonstop since she burst onto the scene as a cute teen with the 1998 hit "Baby one more time" and rose to become a worldwide pop idol known for her bare navel and her famous claim that she was still a virgin.

Her first film, the teen road movie "Crossroads" was released in February, and in June Spears signed a deal with stock car racing organization NASCAR to star in a feature film next year about the sport.

Spears apologized to fans in Mexico City over the cancellation of the show after less than five songs and said the audience would get a full refund.

But the cancellation came only a few days after she was caught by cameras extending her middle finger at photographers, in an insulting gesture seen as having sullied her image as a wholesome southern girl.

Santana Aims for Another Home Run with Next Album

As Carlos Santana prepares for this fall's release of "Shaman," his highly anticipated follow-up to the 1999 blockbuster "Supernatural," the rock guitar virtuoso says he feels like a baseball slugger in a key game situation.

"I feel like (home-run king) Barry Bonds, man," said the 55-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who co-founded the band that bears his name in the late 1960s in San Francisco.

"The bases are loaded; I worked with all these incredible artists and singers and performers and engineers. So it's up to us to walk up to the plate and hit it right."

If he does, the Mexican-born musician will make rock 'n' roll lightning strike twice.

"Supernatural," which has sold 25 million copies worldwide and won eight Grammy Awards, ended a commercial drought for Santana by teaming him with a variety of contemporary stars, such as Lauryn Hill, Dave Matthews, Wyclef Jean, Everlast and matchbox twenty frontman Rob Thomas, who co-wrote and sang the hit single "Smooth."

"Shaman," due in stores on October 15, is similarly populated by guest artists, but Santana is mum when asked for specifics.

"It's not even letting a little kitty out of the bag," he said in a recent interview. "It's a big ol' cat."

SHAMANISTIC COMMUNITY

He does, however, note that members of the band Ozomatli played on the album, while opera tenor Placido Domingo also makes an appearance.

Members of the San Diego hard rock band P.O.D. have revealed they recorded a track called "America" with Santana. And Rob Thomas previously said he wrote some of the material on "Shaman," though he did not expect to perform on it.

Clive Davis, the former head of Santana's label, Arista, and the architect behind "Supernatural," assisted on "Shaman," along with current Arista chief L.A. Reid.

Santana is most excited about the songs, however, and said new tracks such as "Love to the People," "Aye Aye Aye," "Novus," "Fu Fu" and a cover of African singer Angelique Kidjo's "Adouma" have been well-received by European and North American audiences during the group's summer tour.

"I have confidence that more than one song will touch you in a place where you say, 'God, Carlos's music makes me feel very grateful and happy and exhilarated to be alive,"' Santana said. "What we're interested in, man, is compassion and healing. ... "I'm not about show business, man. I'm not entertainment. There's nothing wrong with that, but that's not what I do. They sell you a lot of illusion; we offer reality."

TAKING IT TO THE PEOPLE

Santana also hopes his current U.S. tour -- which kicked off July 31 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and so far has dates booked into October -- will spread "a positive vibration" among his fans.

"It's the opposite of what's happening in America, which is fear and anger," the guitarist said. "It's a very positive thing. We feel very bubbly, very up about life. We have a lot of joy. We have a lot of conviction. We have a lot of clarity, and it's very contagious."

He would be happy if that feeling leads fans to buy "Shaman" in the same numbers they bought "Supernatural," but Santana said he feels "no hesitation or fear or nervousness to compete with 'Supernatural."'

"I'm 55, man, and I'm still participating -- not competing -- in this arena with Britney Spears and 'N Sync and Dave Matthews and Lenny Kravitz," he said. "We're in it, man, and all we want to do is spread a good feeling and inspire people."

'Lambs' Duo Foster, Demme May Reunite

Paramount Pictures and producer Scott Rudin have set Richard Price to script an original idea that is designed to reteam Oscar-winning "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme with Jodie Foster.

Demme will work with the producer and scribe to fashion the film specifically for the actress.

The project is untitled. Sources loosely describe it as a thriller that occurs in a modern urban setting. Price, whose screen credits include "Sea of Love" and "Clockers," just completed his novel, "Samaritan," which is being published later this year by Knopf. Price is doing the scripted adaptation of that book for Paramount and Rudin, as part of a $2 million film deal.

Rudin and Price have a history together that goes back to when Rudin did the casting on the screen version of Price's novel "The Wanderers," and Rudin and Paramount are getting close to the starting line on an adaptation of Price's acclaimed novel, "Freedomland." Price also just turned in his series creation "R.I.P.S.," a drama pilot he's exec producing with Mark Johnson for CBS which is a Dirty Dozen-type drama.

Demme is on holiday after completing for Universal the remake of "The Truth About Charlie" with Mark Wahlberg and Thandie Newton, but will become involved when he gets back to work at his production company, Clinica Estetico, in the fall.

Demi Moore Says 'Halo' to Picture

Demi Moore has ended months of flirtation with the "Charlie's Angels" sequel by agreeing to take a small role in the project, a decision that marks the end of a five-year sabbatical from studio films.

She will play a former, now "fallen" angel working on the other side of the law in "Charlie's Angels 2: Halo," which is scheduled for release next June via Columbia Pictures.

As with the hit 2000 original, McG will direct Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz.

After a series of flops such as "The Scarlet Letter" and "Striptease," Moore spent the late 1990s raising her three daughters in her own private Idaho, the hamlet of Hailey.

At her zenith, she commanded $12 million a picture. She was last in theaters with the barely noticed Paramount Classics drama "Passion of Mind."

Rolling Stone Richards: Jagger Knighthood 'Paltry'

As the Rolling Stones prepare to launch a North American tour, guitarist Keith Richards can barely contain his scorn for lifelong buddy Mick Jagger's recent knighthood.

"It's a paltry honor," Richards said in U.S. music monthly Blender's September issue, due out on Aug. 13.

Richards, who co-founded the Rolling Stones with Jagger in 1962, said the singer should have held out for a lordship. Instead, he has been thrown into "the same bin" as Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, Richards noted.

Jagger received his knighthood in Queen Elizabeth's annual birthday honors list in June. Along with McCartney and John, he was accorded the relatively lowly rank of knight bachelor.

Richards, whose fondness for hard living makes him an unlikely candidate for any royal honor, said he would not bow to social etiquette and call his sidekick Sir Mick.

"You can call him what you like; we have other names for him," he said.

The Rolling Stones are currently in Toronto rehearsing for a tour that begins on Sept. 3 in Boston.

All the Ingredients in Place for 'Pie 3'

Universal Pictures has put together the pieces of "American Pie 3," the sequel to one of the studio's most profitable franchises.

Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan and Eugene Levy have signed to reprise their roles. They join Seann William Scott, who pacted earlier this week for a return. Jesse Dylan ("How High") is negotiating to direct the script by Adam Herz.

The original "Pie" bowed in 1999, grossing more than $235 million worldwide on a modest budget. The second film did even better. Opening in August 2001, it set an opening weekend record for an R-rated comedy with $45 million and topped out at over $287 million worldwide.

The second sequel has been in the hatching stages for some time, but the dealmaking was complex. None of the players had sequel options that ran beyond "American Pie 2," and all parties sought an extra large piece of the pie. Filming begins in January for an August 2003 release.

Go Ahead And Laugh!

First Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro starred in "Analyze This" and this December they are back in "Analyze That."

Springsteen opens tour in scintillating style

"I'm excited, too," a beaming Bruce Springsteen told the roaring crowd that filled the Continental Arena Wednesday night.

And why not? Capping a day that saw his new album, The Rising, shoot to No. 1, New Jersey's favorite son was kicking off a tour with longtime comrades the E Street Band on his home turf.

Entering to the familiar chants of "Brooooce," the Boss and band started the show with the title track and first single from the new album, which was influenced by events since Sept. 11. They then launched into Lonesome Day, a similarly bittersweet anthem also featured on the CD.

Many in the crowd seemed intimately acquainted with the new material, clapping and singing along with the refrains. Indeed, The Rising album could be heard blasting from several of the boomboxes littering the parking lot hours before the show started.

One fan playing the CD, Brian Gay, 28, of Hoboken, N.J., said he thought, "The media is playing up the 9/11 angle too much. This (album) is consistent with what Bruce has been writing about for 30 years — everyday people making connections with everyday situations."

Sgt. Anthony Frato of the Cliffside Park, N.J., police department, who lost colleagues on Sept. 11, agreed that Springsteen "isn't jumping on a bandwagon. He's been doing this kind of thing forever. I've learned from him that the laws are to protect, not to punish. His songs make you understand people are hurting."

Springsteen introduced one such elegiac ballad, Empty Sky, by saying, "We're gonna need some real quiet for this next song." But he refrained from pontificating about the new material's messages, leaving the audience to form its own interpretations. He and his bandmates also provided plenty of the humor and exuberant camaraderie that are staples of their shows together.

Two upbeat new songs, Mary's Place and Waitin' on a Sunny Day, became exhilarating singalongs. On the latter tune, the audience required no coaching on the lyrics. "I'm impressed," the lead singer said, grinning.

Of course, Springsteen mixed in old favorites, such as Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Promised Land, Two Hearts and Badlands, drawing equally enthusiastic reactions.

Certainly, no one would have blamed the 52-year-old rock star if he concentrated on the glory days. Instead, he acknowledged the past both wistfully and joyfully but kept the emphasis on the possibility of better days ahead.

Stiller Negotiates for Another Hamburg-er

Ben Stiller is in negotiations to star in a Universal Pictures untitled comedy written by John Hamburg, who also wrote Stiller's MEET THE PARENTS. Stiller would play an "anal-retentive risk-averse man" whose job is to analyze risk. His life is turned upside down when he gets involved with a risky romance. Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher will produce.

COMI-CON HEIR

Actor Nicolas Cage planning to sell his comic-book collection at the Dallas ComiCon convention in October. Cage's collection includes about 400 comics, including the one with the first appearance of Superman.

JACK AND HIS CHICK

Devout Los Angeles Lakers fan Jack Nicholson paying tribute Wednesday to longtime Lakers sportscaster Chick Hearn, who died Monday at age 85. "Nothing has ever galvanized Los Angeles--other than an earthquake--the way Chick does," Nicholson told L.A.'s KCAL-TV. "We knew that Laker heart of Laker blue was like a lump in his throat for his entire career, and we loved him for it."

PAY UP, COMRADE

Russian space agency officials saying they might scrap plans to include 'N Sync popster Lance Bass in their October space flight if he doesn't come up with the reported $20 million by the payment deadlines, Reuters reports.

Look At The Yunguns'!

A new generation keeps Elvis alive.

Springsteen Begins Tour in N.J.

Bruce Springsteen opened a concert tour at an arena within sight of New York City's changed skyline Wednesday, offering songs inspired by the terrorist attacks to a hometown audience.

Standing in near darkness bathed only from a soft light from behind, Springsteen began singing "The Rising," with full stage lights coming on when he reached the gospel-like chorus about resurrection.

Half his 22-song set came from his new album, also called "The Rising." It's the fastest-selling disc in his career, with 526,000 copies sold since its release July 30.

The 46-city concert tour began Wednesday in Springsteen's home state, at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., across the Hudson River from New York City.

Many of the 2,823 people killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 were from New Jersey, including more than 150 from Monmouth County, where Springsteen owns a farm.

Springsteen has said he was inspired to make the album partly by a fan's shout, "We need you," when he was taking his kids to the beach shortly after the attacks. It is his first rock album in nearly two decades with his longtime compadres, the E Street Band.

"The Rising" includes a mix of remembrance, uplifting exhortations such as the title song, and catchy pop tunes designed to help people move on with their lives.

During the song, "Lonesome Day," he beseeched the audience to raise their hands during a chorus of "it's all right."

Many in the audience had seen Springsteen before, several times, greeting him with a cheer of "Bruce" and roaring with familiarity when Clarence Clemons stepped forward for his first saxophone solo.

Springsteen concerts are usually marathons that are part revival meeting, part party, and always with a social message.

In addition to the new songs, he performed several old favorites during his two hour, 25-minute set, including "Born to Run," "Glory Days," "Thunder Road" and "Born in the USA."

"I'm excited, too," he said at one point when the audience momentarily resisted his pleas for quiet.

He is booked for 39 concerts in 39 North American cities, and seven in Europe, the first leg of what is expected to be at least a year on the road.

Jennifer Aniston Walks in Her Sleep

If something goes bump in the night at the home of Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt, he need not worry. It's probably just his wife, Jennifer Aniston.

The 33-year-old "Friends" star revealed in an upcoming issue of Us Weekly magazine released on Thursday that she is a lifelong sleepwalker.

In one recent somnambulant episode, Aniston walked out of the couple's home and was awakened only when their home's security alarm went off.

"The alarm scared the s--- out of me," she told Us Weekly. "I woke up, and I was out by the pool equipment in the back."

She said Pitt, 38, was "terrified because he heard the alarm, and I'm not there -- it was just awful."

Aniston, currently starring in "The Good Girl," said it was not the first time she has walked out of the house sound asleep.

As a child, she recalled, "I would walk into the living room, and (my mom) would have a conversation with me, and I would not have known it," she told the magazine.

Springsteen Begins Tour in Home State

It's not unusual for Bruce Springsteen to begin a concert tour at home. This time, home is also a region recovering from a terrorist attack, which also transformed his art.

Springsteen's album "The Rising," inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, is the fastest-selling disc in his career, with 526,000 copies sold since its release July 30.

His 46-city concert tour began Wednesday in his home state, at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.

Many of the more than 3,000 people killed Sept. 11 were from New Jersey, including more than 150 from Monmouth County, where Springsteen owns a farm.

Springsteen has said he was inspired to make the album partly by a fan's shout, "We need you," when he was taking his kids to the beach shortly after the attacks. It is his first rock album in nearly two decades with his longtime compadres, the E Street Band.

"The Rising" includes a mix of remembrance, gospel-like exhortations such as the title song, and catchy pop tunes designed to help people move on with their lives.

Springsteen concerts are usually marathons that are part revival meeting, part party, and always with a social message.

He is booked for 39 concerts in 39 North American cities, then seven in Europe, the first leg of what is expected to be at least a year on the road.

Springsteen Rises to Top of U.S. Charts

Bruce Springsteen grabbed the top of the U.S. pop charts Wednesday with the debut of his somber, Sept. 11-influenced album, "The Rising," the first all-new recording with his E Street Band since 1984.

The critically hailed LP sold about 525,000 copies in its first week in stores, Springsteen's best album debut in at least a decade, his publicists said as the veteran rocker and his band prepared to launch a world tour at the Continental Airlines Arena in his native New Jersey.

Time magazine hailed the LP as "the first significant piece of pop art to respond to the events of that day (September 11th)."

The record has received generally enthusiastic reviews and some critics already consider "The Rising" an early favorite for an "Album of the Year" prize when the Grammys are handed out in February.

"The Rising" supplanted a very different 9/11-inspired album at the top of the charts, knocking country singer Toby Keith's "Unleashed" to No. 6 in its second week of release, according to SoundScan. Keith's album features the controversial song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," celebrating the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan.

Entering the charts at No. 2 for the week ended Aug. 4 was the latest release from alternative metal group Linkin Park, "Reanimation," with sales of 270,000 copies.

Hip-hop star Nelly held onto the No. 3 spot with his sophomore album "Nellyville," selling another 244,000 copies to raise his six-week tally to 2.3 million units.

Rounding out the top five were the various-artists compilation "Now 10" at No. 4, slipping two spots in its second week of release, and rapper Eminem's third major-label LP, "The Eminem Show," remaining at No. 5 in its 11th week.

Springsteen and the E Street Band, including saxophonist Clarence Clemons, guitarist Steve Van Zandt and drummer Max Weinberg, were due to open their latest arena tour in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Wednesday night.

The concert series marks their first road trip together since a reunion tour that ended at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2000. The final performance of that tour was used for a CD, DVD and HBO special, all titled, "Live in New York City."

While some E Streeters played on Springsteen's 1987 album, "Tunnel of Love," the last release to feature the whole band was 1984's multiplatinum "Born in the U.S.A."

Oasis Members Hurt in Taxi Crash

Three members of the British rock band Oasis are recovering after being hurt in a car crash.

The musicians were in a taxi Tuesday afternoon when it was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle in downtown Indianapolis.

Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Jay Darlington were taken by ambulance to a hospital, where they were treated for shock, cuts and bruises, according to a statement issued early Wednesday by concert promoter Clear Channel Entertainment.

Gallagher, who was sitting in the front of the taxi, suffered heavy facial bruises and seat belt cuts. Darlington, a keyboard player, injured a hand and was to return to the hospital for further treatment on Wednesday.

Doctors have ordered the musicians to rest for two days to let medication take effect, the statement said.

The band was scheduled to play Wednesday evening at the Murat Theatre, but that concert has been postponed. Fans were advised to keep their tickets until the show can be rescheduled, the statement said.

Oasis became wildly popular in the mid-1990s. Their 1995 album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" debuted at No. 1 in the U.K. and became the second-best selling album in British history.

What Do You Think?

Is this an oxymoron or is it irony?

Get Well Soon, Hawk!

Rockin' Ronnie Hawkins has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The Hunt For Red October Was Better!

Another big summer blockbuster that is making its way to DVD this fall is the latest Jack Ryan Cold War thriller The Sum of All Fears. Debuting on 10/29, this one includes a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby surround tracks, two audio commentaries by director Phil Alden Robinson and cinematographer John Lindley, and Robinson again with novelist Tom Clancy, the "Making-Of The Sum Of All Fears" and "Creating Reality: the Visual Effects of The Sum Of All Fears" featurettes, and the trailer. Retail is $29.95.

Aguilera Gets 'Dirty' Next Month

Pop queen Christina Aguilera is planning a return to the limelight at the end of the summer with a new single, "Let's Get Dirty." The track will arrive in mid-September via RCA. Co-written and co-produced by Aguilera and Rockwilder, the track features a guest appearance by rapper Redman.

"Let's Get Dirty" is drawn from Aguilera's as-yet-untitled fourth RCA studio album. A spokesperson says that although an official date has not yet been set, the label is targeting a late October release for the album.

The artist has reportedly collaborated with a host of luminaries on the new album, including Alicia Keys, former Jane's Addiction/Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, and producers Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith) and Linda Perry (Pink, Jennifer Love Hewitt).

Her 1999 self-titled debut set debuted on top of The Billboard 200. Featuring the Hot 100 chart-toppers "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants," that album has sold 7.9 million copies.

LET'S ALL GO TO THE LOBBY

Did you know that movie theater concessions account for $4.5 billion in worldwide revenue, providing 50 percent-100 percent of a theater's profit and accounting for more revenue than ticket sales? It's true! That's according to a new report by Screen Digest.

GLITTERING AGAIN

Island Records releasing Mariah Carey's big comeback album on December 10. Additionally, the songstress recently formed her own record label titled MonarC Music.

ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is expected to be a top-seller with its release on DVD and video on Tuesday. A special extended DVD edition, a two-disc set that will include a three-hour-and-30-minute director's cut of the movie, hits stores in November.

IT'S A SAD DAY

Actor Matthew Thomas Robinson Jr., best known as the original Gordon on Sesame Street and a writer and coproducer of The Cosby Show, died in his sleep in Los Angeles after a 20-year battle with Parkinson's Disease. Robinson was also the father of actress Holly Robinson Peete.

Gilliam Eyes New Take on Swashbuckler Tale

Terry Gilliam is in early talks with Warner Bros. to direct a new adaptation of "Scaramouche," a swashbuckling tale whose screen history dates back to 1923.

Based on the 1921 novel by Rafael Sabatini, "Scaramouche" is a romance set in the early days of the French Revolution and features the exploits of one Andre-Louis Moreau, also known as Scaramouche. In addition to damsels in distress and rapier-drawn duels, the novel also featured sly commentary on the class system.

"Scaramouche" has been brought to the screen many times, with the first adaptation dating back to a 1923 silent film starring Ramon Navarro. Stewart Granger also portrayed the swashbuckler in the 1956 MGM production directed by George Sidney. However, the Warners picture is not a remake and stems from the original source material.

This will be the first time that Gilliam and Warners have teamed on a project. "Scaramouche" would be Gilliam's first picture since the disappointing 1998 "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas," which he directed for Universal.

Gilliam and Universal worked together on two of his most critically acclaimed films, "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys." However, both productions were marked by vociferous complaints on both sides, with the studio moaning about cost overruns and the director fuming about endless meddling.

Gilliam's most recent project, "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote," was just three weeks into production in fall 2000 when Jean Rochefort, playing the title character, fell ill. The collapse of that project was detailed with Gilliam's full cooperation in the frank documentary "Lost In La Mancha: The Un-Making of Don Quixote."

Looking At Pictures Of Jewel

Singer-songwriter sweet honey mama Jewel and her manager-mother Lenedra Carroll have created production company Magic Lantern Entertainment and made their first script purchase, "Wave" by tyro scribe David Rothmiller.

Jewel, who co-starred with "Spider- Man" Tobey Maguire in Ang Lee's "Ride With the Devil," will appear in the ensemble drama, which chronicles the chaos surrounding the reunion of a mother and her estranged son in a small island community off the west coast of Canada.

Jewel (last name: Kilcher) and Carroll will serve as executive producers on the project.

Carroll said Magic Lantern will look to do more projects with new talent. Magic Lantern falls under the duo's umbrella org, the Mami Organization. They have produced videos in the past for their nonprofit organization Higher Ground for Humanity, which works toward providing clean water throughout the world.

Jewel, who had the breakthrough hit "Who Will Save Your Soul" six years ago, recently wrapped up a tour in support of her latest Atlantic album, "This Way," her fifth for the label. She will do a five-week solo tour starting this month.

Hendrix Named Greatest Guitarist

Psychedelic guitarist Jimi Hendrix has been voted the instrument's greatest player in a poll conducted by Total Guitar magazine.

Hendrix, who died in 1970 at the age of 27, beat Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page to the top spot in the poll of the magazine's readers.

Hendrix made his name in the late 1960s, with classics like "Purple Haze," "Hey Joe" and "Voodoo Chile."

Blues veteran Eric Clapton came in third, followed by Slash from Guns N' Roses and Brian May of Queen.

Younger talents also made the top 100, including Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead at 35 and Noel Gallagher from Oasis at 50.

Johnny Ramone of The Ramones — who built a long career on rudimentary three-chord rock — was 88th.

"What's nice about it is that it's not some music critic's opinion of the best guitarists — these guys might not be `cool' by any music critic's viewpoint, but they genuinely are the fastest, loudest, most exciting players in rock 'n' roll," said the magazine's editor, Scott Rowley.

No woman made the top 100. Only one — Tracy Chapman — was among 440 guitarists nominated by the magazine.

"Personally I don't know if it's a bad thing," Rowley said. "Women just aren't as geeky or competitive about it as guys. Instead of showing off, they're trying to write a good song. Which is probably smarter."

The Top 20:

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Jimmy Page
3. Eric Clapton
4. Slash
5. Brian May
6. Joe Satriani (soloist)
7. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
8. Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
9. Kirk Hammett (Metallica ( news - web sites))
10. Steve Vai (soloist)
11. Carlos Santana (Santana)
12. James Hetfield (Metallica)
13. Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine ( news - web sites))
14. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
15. Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
16. Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne)
17. Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy, others)
18. Jeff Beck (Cream, Yardbirds, others)
19. Stevie Ray Vaughan (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Double Trouble)
20. Angus Young

Music Makes The World Go Round, Or Is That Love?

There are a slew of new discs coming out today, including:

Anthologia: The 20th Anniversary of ASIA, one of my most favourite bands, that is a Double-disc collection of all their Geffen Records music.

But no matter how great these CD's are, I doubt I will be listening. The new Springsteen CD is so great that I can't stop spinning it. It is awesome!

But if you need some new tunes, here are the new CD releases for Tuesday, August 6, 2002:

* 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE OST 24 Hour Party People OST (Warner International)
* AQUANOTE The Pearl (Astralwerks/Virgin)
* BILL EVANS & JIM HALL Undercurrent (Blue Note)
* BRAD Welcome To Discovery Park (Redline)
* CHICK COREA Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (Blue Note)
* COLDPLAY In My Place (CD Single) (EMI)
* DUKE ELLINGTON Money Jungle (Blue Note)
* FAIRPORT CONVENTION Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* FREE Best Of (20th Century Masters)
* GANIYU Special (CD Single) (Warner International)
* GIORGIA Greatest Hits (Ariola)
* GREG OSBY Inner Circle (Blue Note)
* JESSE VAN RULLER Trio (Emarcy)
* JIM BRICKMAN Love Songs & Lullabies (Windham Hill)
* JIMMY CLIFF Jimmy Cliff (Sanctuary Records)
* JOE LOUIS WALKER In The Morning (Telarc)
* KACI I'm Nobody's Girl (Curb)
* LENA HORNE The Young Star (Bluebird/BMG)
* LIONEL HAMPTON Ring Dem Bells (Bluebird/BMG)
* LOUIS ARMSTRONG Sings & Swings (Bluebird/BMG)
* LUCE Luce (Nettwerk)
* MAD AT GRAVITY Resonance (BMG)
* MIDNIGHT OIL 20,000 Watt R.S.L.: The Midnight Oil Collection (DVD) (BMG)
* NICKELBACK Curb (EMI)
* PHIL VASSAR American Child (Arista)
* PORCUPINE TREE Metanoia (Navarre)
* PROVIDENCE OST Providence OST (MCA Nashville)
* RAY CHARLES Essential Collection (Cleopatra)
* RICHIE HAVENS Wishing Well (Navarre)
* RICK DANKO Rick Danko (BMG Heritage)
* SASHA Airdrawndagger (Kinetic Records)
* SCARFACE The Fix (Def Jam)
* SLUM VILLAGE Trinity (Priority)
* SMILEZ & SOUTHSTAR Crash The Party (BMG)
* SOLANGE KNOWLES Solo Star (Columbia)
* SPY KIDS 2 OST Spy Kids 2 OST (Milan)
* STARECASE Firstfloor (Kinetic Records)
* THE KIDS STAY IN THE PICTURE OST The Kids Stay In The Picture OST (Milan)
* TRAIN She's On Fire (DVD) (Sony)
* TRENDROID Transport (Kinetic Records)
* TRICK DADDY Thug Holiday (Atlantic)
* UNIVERSAL LOVE ATTACK Weapons Of Mass Destruction (Sextant Records)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Snowjam Ripped (Linus Entertainment)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Music Of The Millenium 2 (Universal)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS MTV Road Rules (Rounder)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS This Is Not The 80's (Sony)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Dance Alliance (Navarre)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Post Mortem: Tribute To Slayer (Navarre)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS The World's Hottest Fiddlers (Cmh)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Swing: Bandstand Kings (Bluebird/BMG)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Beachlife (Incredible)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS In The Pocket: A Taste Of Blues (Telarc)
* VARIOUS ARTISTS Sun Records 50th Anniversary (BMG Heritage)
* VICTORIA WILLIAMS Sings Some Ol' Songs (Razor & Tie)
* XXX OST XXX OST (Universal)
* YES Magnification (DVD Audio) (Rhino)
* ZEROMANCER Eurotrash (Cleopatra)

Do You Bring Home The Rings Today Or In November?

New Line Home Entertainment, through Alliance Atlantis in Canada, is releasing The Fellowship Of The Ring on VHS and DVD today.

But here's the rub, and a thrifty consumer's dilemma: The DVD release -- despite being juiced up as a two-disc set with an immaculate widescreen transfer and strong behind-the-scenes extras -- is just a teaser of what is to come.

For that future release, Rings director Peter Jackson is extending his epic, making it three-and-a-half hours long. In addition, all-new documentary materials and other extras will be layered in for what should become the definitive set.
"I'm a huge fan of special edition DVDs," Jackson says in an interview shown in tomorrow's DVD release, "and I really think it's a great opportunity to be able to restore back into the movie about 30 minutes worth of extra footage."

The timing is appropriate, of course. Installment two of the saga, The Two Towers, will be released in December and the special edition DVD will be used to whet appetites.

As for today's DVD release, it is excellent on its own. The movie is presented in all its visual and aural glory on disc one. On disc two, the special features introduce newbies to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and to the astonishing ways that Jackson turned Tolkien's classic into a movie trilogy. These extras will not be repeated in November.

There are three non-critical documentaries plus 15 vignettes covering various specific Rings topics. Unfortunately, they all seem to draw on the same set of cast & crew interviews -- so interview snippets are repeated to exhaustion.

The first, Houghlin Mifflin Welcomes You To Middle-earth, introduces us to the late Rayner Unwin, who greenlit The Hobbit as a 10-year-old adviser to his publisher father and later published The Lord Of The Rings himself.

The Fox TV special, Quest For The Ring, is routine fare. But the SCI-FI Channel special, A Passage To Middle-earth: The Making Of The Lords Of The Rings, is more comprehensive and better presented. The 15 vignettes, running from 90 seconds to five minutes, flesh out the story.

Other bonus materials include the Enya video for May It Be, three trailers, other self-promotions and an interesting home-movie style look at Jackson at work on The Two Towers, a teaser that includes exclusive footage.

So my advice to Lord Of The Rings fans is as simple as New Line's line of hype: Bring home the power of the Ring now -- and again in November. Plus, you know you won't be able to wait.

The Best Of The Rest Of The New Titles

For me, the biggest new title that is coming out today is the DVD box set of The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season. With behind the scenes goodies, the "Do The Bartman" music video and the entire Second Season of The Simpsons in full digital glory (!!!!!!!) this is the one title that I will be buying today. But if you want "Lord Of The Frings" that's okay.

THE OTHER "BIG" TITLES TODAY ARE

The Jeffersons: The Complete First Season

Sanford & Son: The First Season

Deuces Wild- A gang turf war unfolds during a horrible, horrible movie that is set in 1950s Brooklyn. (Stephen Dorff , Brad Renfro, Drea de Matteo)

Super Troopers- Misfit cops try to save their job by solving a drug case in this very stupid, very insipid comedy that is a must see! (Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme)

Dogtown And Z-Boys- A rocking look at the rise of skateboarding. (Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva)

OKAY, AND THEN THERE ARE ALL OF THESE COMING OUT TOO!

Absolute Power
The Adventures Of Tom Thumb And Thumbeli
Air Power
The Anniversary Party
Antichrist
Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut)
Any Which Way You Can
Blade
The Blob
Bob The Builder: Celebrate With Bob
The Bridges Of Madison County
Bronco Billy
The Business Of Strangers
Busta Rhymes: Unauthorized
Caddyshack II
The Care Bears Movie
Chelsea Walls
City Hall
Clash Of The Titans
Curse Of The Devil
Dark City
Dark Descent
The Dead Pool
Dirty Harry
Dog Day Afternoon
Dr. Who: Ark In Space
Dr. Who: Tomb Of Cyberman
Dungeons & Dragons
The Enforcer
Every Which Way But Loose
Exorcist II: The Heretic
Final Destination (Widescreen)
The Firebird
Forever Young
The Forsaken
Frankenstein 90
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
The Gauntlet
Ghost World
Heat
Hercules In The Haunted World
Hot Shots!
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Interview With The Vampire
Jay Jay The Jet Plane: Lessons For All S
Kelly's Heroes
Little Nicky
Luau
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Maggie & The Ferocious Beast: Adventures
Magnum Force
Major League II
Man Of The Century
Maverick
Mayerling
Message In A Cell Phone
Mrs. Soffel
National Lampoon's Vacation
Nightmare City
A Nightmare On Elm Street
Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's...
Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream...
Nightmare On Elm Street 4: Dream Master
Nightmare On Elm Street: The Dream Child
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Pale Rider
Parasite (Widescreen)
Passion Crimes
The Porky's Collection
Random Hearts
The Red Shoe Diaries Collection
Repli-Kate
The Revenge Of The Nerds Collection (Boxed Set)
The Road Warrior
Rough Magic
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (Director's Cut)
Sudden Impact
The Swarm
Tequila Sunrise
Them!
Time After Time
Tomcats
True Crime
The Unearthly
Unforgiven
Urban Task Force
V: The Final Battle
The Werewolf Vs. The Vampire Women
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Women In Film
The Year Of Living Dangerously

SCRUBBING IN

Actor Don Cheadle (Traffic) set to guest star on NBC's ER next season playing a medical student. The four-episode arc will likely air during November sweeps.

'Scooby-Doo,' 'Windtalkers,' 'Bad Company,' And More Street Dates

Another big summer blockbuster is making its way to DVD as the major fourth quarter buying season gears up. The live action remake of Scooby-Doo hits DVD on 10/15 in separate full frame and widescreen versions, complete with bright green snapper case. Debuting on 10/22 is In Betweens: Chuck Jones, A Life in Animation.

While not exactly the blockbuster MGM likely hoped for, the $100 million Windtalkers lands on 10/15, followed by the art house smash Y Tu Mama Tambien in separate Unrated and R-rated versions a week later, along with the import Gangster No. 1. And another summer disappointment, the Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins actioner Bad Company, is due to hit DVD on 11/12 from Buena Vista, along with the Oscar Wilde update The Importance of Being Earnest. Retail is $29.95 each, and watch for full details to follow.

Oh, and don't forget STRANGE BREW will bow on October 1st! Woo hoooo!!!

Smart Answers To Supid Questions Was Always My Favourite- JERK!

Mad Magazine is 50!

Ayyyyyyyyyy!

In THIS STORY, Henry Winkler (Happy Days' "Fonz") talks about what it's like to be associated with JUMP THE SHARK, a Web site which determines when a good TV series goes bad. "Something the people who put that together should know is that we were a big hit for three more seasons after I jumped the shark," he says.

'Freddy Vs. Jason' in Franchise Showdown

In a continuing effort to exploit its franchises, New Line Cinema has greenlit "Freddy vs. Jason," signing Brad Renfro to star alongside Robert Englund, who'll be back for his eighth performance as Freddy Krueger.

The studio hasn't yet decided on the actor who'll play Jason Vorhees, the lumbering maniac from the "Friday the 13th" franchise who will be making his 11th appearance onscreen. Ronny Yu, the Honk Kong veteran whose credits range from "The Bride With White Hair" to "Bride of Chucky," will direct the picture, with shooting to begin Sept. 9 in Vancouver.

The film's premise is a simple collision of legendary evildoers who've each racked up impressive body counts of promiscuous teens. Renfro ("The Client") will play a character who finds himself pitted between the two combatants, and so his mission is to try and stay alive until the end credits.

"It's clash of the titans, the ultimate showdown," said New Line production president Toby Emmerich. "Freddy is the intellectual manipulator, Jason the killing machine. When you have done 17 movies between these characters, it is hard to stay fresh, but putting these characters together makes it fresh. There is a hard-core fan base for each, and we will be out in front of 'Predator vs. Alien' and 'Batman vs. Superman,' other films putting venerable characters against each other."

It is the studio's second significant franchise move since "Austin Powers in Goldmember" posted record summer numbers last weekend. The studio just hired Troy Miller to direct "Dumb and Dumberer," the "Dumb & Dumber" prequel that will hit the marketplace next summer. Corporate sibling Warner Bros. meanwhile, is mining its own franchises with plans for Wolfgang Petersen to direct "Batman vs. Superman."

Braodcasting Great Chick Hearn Has Died

Chick Hearn, the longtime voice of the L.A. Lakers, has died at the age of 85.

Rodriguez Shuns Hollywood Lifestyle

Robert Rodriguez doesn't need to be in Hollywood to make box office hits. He's content in Austin, Texas.

The director of the "Spy Kids" movies jokingly refers to his lakeside home and movie studio as Spywalker Ranch, a nod to George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.

The studio and home allow him to be writer, producer, editor and almost everything else for his films.

"When I'm in Los Angeles, I pretend that it's another world," Rodriguez told USA Today in its weekend editions. "I know that when I get home to Texas, I'll get back to the serious work."

The first "Spy Kids" grossed $112.7 million, and its sequel, "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," opens this week. Rodriguez's other credits include "Desperado" and "From Dusk Till Dawn."

Teen Awards Favor 'Spider-Man'

Mandy Moore and Shane West displayed the coolest chemistry in "A Walk to Remember," but Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst had the best "lip lock" for their rainy, upside-down smooch in "Spider-Man."

So decreed the voters of the Teen Choice Awards, the fourth annual youth popularity celebration held Sunday at the Universal Amphitheater.

Britney Spears and Ja Rule were selected favorite female and male singers, respectively, while Usher was named best rap artist and his single "U Got It Bad" was chosen best love song.

The Adam Sandler comedy "Mr. Deeds" was chosen movie of the summer, while "Spider-Man" claimed favorite action film and last summer's raunchy "American Pie 2" was named "Choice Movie Your Parents Didn't Want You To See."

Voters selected "Friends" best TV comedy, while MTV's documentary series about rocker Ozzy Osbourne's family received best TV reality show. "7th Heaven" won best TV drama.

Ice skater Michelle Kwan and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant won favorite female and male athlete, respectively.

The Teen Choice Awards ceremony was taped for broadcast Aug. 19 on the Fox network. Votes for favorite actors, musicians and athletes were cast on forms published in Seventeen, a fashion and lifestyle magazine targeting teenage girls, and made available online.

TV'S NEXT STEP

Is your DVD player obsolete already? Well, not exactly. But just as the price of video disc players are coming into range for nearly every home, now comes word that 3-D TV is here.

It's not Buck Rodgers sci-fi stuff anymore.

The technology exists - and is starting to show up at electronic trade shows - for turning any existing film or video into 3-D.

The technology is light years beyond those cheesy paper-and-cellophane glasses that tricked moviegoers of the '50s and '60s. The first place you're likely to find 3-D TVs will be in stores - as point-of-purchase displays, as attractions at amusement parks or for corporate presentations.

The reason is simple: the cheapest system right now starts at around $6,000 and ranges up to about $24,000 for bigger units.

Then again, there's nothing yet to watch on 3-D TV.

A Santa Monica, Calf.-based company called Dynamic Digital Depth Inc. has figured out a way to digitally convert any existing video or film - say, an episode of "Friends."

DDD's software creates a digital form of the film and then uses a computer to add an extra track containing data about the depth of objects on the screen.

"It's a kind of enhanced television," says DDD's executive vice-president of business development Bruce Ettinger.

DDD hopes to introduce a system in the next year or so that would play specially-encoded 3D DVD movies for consumers.

The extra 3D feature on the discs will be available to consumers who have a special 3D system, much the same way someone with a surround-sound home theater can access better sound on the same DVDs that consumer without surround-sound uses.

Other researchers have different high-tech solutions for turning living rooms into 3D home theaters. And some of those ideas seem to be right out of "Star Trek."

Ideas range from holographic projections ala "The Minority Report" and "Star Wars" to a chemical solution that'll use solid crystals that behave similarly to liquid crystal displays used in digital watches and computer screens - but tweaked to project in three-dimensions.

"My group is trying to develop is a material that is a solid that you can cut or polish and the molecules within it would have the ability to act like the molecules within a liquid crystal," says Miguel Garcia-Garibay, a chemical researcher at UCLA, who thinks his 3D TV solution might be ready within five to 10 years.

The big problem with 3-D TVs, say industry analysts, will be its costs.

"Five years ago when DVD players cost $500, penetration of DVD players in the consumer market was really low," said Lydia Loizides, a senior analyst at Jupiter Research. "Now that they're $150, everybody's got 'em.

"If it's a really big leap, and a very expensive leap," said Loizides, "it's going to take much longer."

Now On A News Stand Near You

As you can see Bruce Springsteen is on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The Online Version includes extra features, such as photos and audio clips.

So, come on up to The Rising!

Pam Anderson Calls It Quits

Beleaguered beauty Pamela Anderson declares, "I'm never going to work again. I'm retired. I'm just being a mom."

The former "V.I.P." star and reigning sex symbol of the six-pack set said earlier that she planned to take time off while undergoing medical treatment for hepatitis C, which will leave her in a weakened state for nearly a year. As you may recall, she believes she contracted the potentially fatal ailment from her ex-husband, rocker Tommy Lee.

And she says that other than "all my merchandising stuff," she intends to do "hopefully, nothing, ever" work-wise. Believe it -- or not.

Pam and her offspring were on hand for the weekend's "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams" premiere -- enjoying the post-screening party's carnival rides and games in a lot across the street from Hollywood's Grauman's Chinese Theater. "I'm just going to come to these little premieres."

SHAKEDOWN STREET

Thousands of Deadheads gathering in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, this weekend to attend Terrapin Station--a Grateful Dead Family Reunion, the first official major reunion of the beloved jam band since lead singer Jerry Garcia died in 1995.

Only For The VERY Curious

For those times when you have to be sure, visit The Celebrity Morgue.

It Was Delayed, But That May Be A Good Thing

A number of good sources have been saying that Buena Vista's original ED WOOD DVD caught the notice of none other than the film's director, Tim Burton.

The good news is that Burton's decided that he would like to add more content to what was already announced. The bad news is that, because of this, the disc will probably be delayed until early 2003. But let's focus on that good news, shall we? Now maybe Ed Wood's gonna be the kind of disc it should have been in the first place!

Cool, and I'll keep you posted.

Some New Announcements

Finally hitting DVD on 10/8 is Christopher Guest's acidic satire on Hollywood, The Big Picture. Presented in anamorphic widescreen and full screen with an English 2.0 surround track, extras include an audio commentary with Guest and actor Kevin Bacon, deleted scenes, filmographies and the trailer. Retail is $24.95.

Universal is choosing one of TV's best ever shows for it's first ever TV box set package; Law & Order: The Complete First Season. Presented in full frame and English 2.0 stereo, there's no announced extras, and retail is $99.95 for this six-disc set.

I do have one question regarding the latter title, L&O is currently on TV 2 or 3 times a day. Who is going to spend $99.95 when they can watch it for free?

October 1st Is Less Than 2 Months Away!

This is the cover art for the STRANGE BREW DVD due October 1st! Man, oh man, oh man, oh man is I excited!!

Sony Music Says It May Cut 100 Jobs

The music arm of Sony Corp. said on Friday it may cut about 2 percent of its staff, or 100 jobs, in an effort to restructure operations as it continues to grapple with the rapidly changing music business.

Sony Music Entertainment said in a statement "it is redirecting its resources in order to maximize the efficiency of its operations and effectively meet the challenges of an evolving industry, and as a result approximately 100 employees may be leaving the company."

Sony Music, one of the five major worldwide record labels, has more than 5,000 employees in the United States.

The music industry as a whole has struggled in recent years with weak CD sales in the face of a host of issues all centered on online music, file sharing and Internet piracy.

Voice of the Lakers, Hearn, Has 2nd Operation

L.A. Lakers sports announcer Chick Hearn was in critical but stable condition late on Saturday in a California hospital after undergoing two operations for a serious head injury stemming from a fall at his home, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Hearn, 85, who for four decades has been the "Voice of the Lakers" and is credited with coining the phrases "air ball" and "slam dunk," first underwent surgery early on Saturday for intracranial bleeding at Northridge Hospital Medical Center after falling down on Friday evening.

Doctors ordered a second operation to relieve further bleeding later, and doctors completed the second surgery Saturday afternoon, according to the hospital's spokeswoman.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to Hearn's home in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino Hills at 7 p.m. after the play-by-play announcer injured his head in a fall in the back yard of his home.

Hearn, born in Illinois, began his Lakers broadcasting career in 1961 and amassed a streak of calling 3,338 consecutive games until undergoing heart surgery in December last year. He returned to work in April in time to watch the Lakers win their third consecutive NBA championship.

Davey and Goliath to Return to TV

Davey and Goliath, the stop-action animated stars of Sunday morning TV in the 1960s who recently reappeared in a soda commercial, are getting their TV show again.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will produce 26 new episodes of the Davey and Goliath show.

The denomination's predecessor, the United Lutheran Church in America, produced 65 episodes of the Davey and Goliath show and six specials from 1960 to 1971. In the show featured, Davey, a young boy, and his dog Goliath, whom only Davey can hear, face life together.

The shows were made by Art and Ruth Clokey, who also created Gumby.

The church hopes to introduce a new generation to the characters and create quality children's programming with a moral center and a Christian theme," said the Rev. Eric Shafer, the ELCA's communications director.

To help pay production costs, the ELCA agreed to sell the characters for commercial endorsements, leading to their appearance in a commercial for Mountain Dew this year.

The church is also licensing videos of old shows and other memorabilia, including t-shirts and bobblehead figures.

The new shows are expected to go on the air next year.

Marilyn Monroe Tour Draws Crowds

Marilyn Monroe still draws a crowd.

Close to the 40th anniversary of her death hundreds of fans paid homage on Saturday and soaked up a bit of the screen siren's legend.

Leslie Kasperowicz, who runs the online Immortal Marilyn Fan Club, led a tour of "Marilyn Homes and Haunts." More than 30 reverent fans visited 22 sites from Hollywood to Beverly Hills.

"She's just so beautiful. She's timeless," said Monroe look-alike Rebecca Staley, of England. "I just wanted to see it all."

A Monroe look-alike contest and party were scheduled Sunday in Hollywood, followed Monday by an annual service at the Westwood Memorial Park cemetery.

Monroe died Aug. 5, 1962, at 36 due to an overdose of sleeping pills.

Weekend Box Office

"Signs" ran crop circles around the competition to top an unusually strong weekend box office for August.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures are to be released Monday.

1. "Signs," $60.3 million.

2. "Austin Powers in Goldmember," $32.4 million.

3. "The Master of Disguise," $13 million.

4. "Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat," $7.5 million.

5. "Road to Perdition," $6.6 million.

6. "Stuart Little 2," $6 million.

7. "Men in Black 2," $4.7 million.

8. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," $3.01 million.

9 (tie). "K-19: The Widowmaker," $3 million.

9 (tie). "The Country Bears," $3 million.

Here's Some Memories And Fun For You

This gallery of Bizarre Record Covers should keep you occupied for, oh, the next four or five hours.

Enjoy!

Box Office Looks to Heat Up in August

You won't catch Hollywood studio executives talking about the dog days of August this year.

Continuing the trend of recent summers, several studios will unleash some of their most ferocious box office prospects over the last month of the season. The period is still marked by rampant vacationing among production executives, but is no longer a time for their distribution colleagues to let loose stray poodles on the moviegoing public.

This weekend, Sony unspools "The Master of Disguise," a Dana Carvey laffer perhaps best described as neither pedigreed pooch nor mutt. But one week later, Sony's unspools its megahyped actioner "XXX," starring Vin Diesel.

Disney opens M. Night Shyamalan's high-profile Mel Gibson starrer "Signs" Friday, and a week later, corporate cousin Miramax bows its big family sequel "Spy Kids 2" on Aug. 9. That same weekend, Warner Bros. debuts the Clint Eastwood starrer "Blood Work," followed one frame later by the pricey Eddie Murphy picture "The Adventures of Pluto Nash."

Colliding with "Pluto" will be wide bows by Universal's much-anticipated surfer girls movie "Blue Crush" and New Line's Al Pacino starrer "Simone." The Labor Day session then begins Aug. 30 with at least three wide openers and several expansions by platforming limited releases.

It's enough to give a vacation-starved distribution executive pause. But most studios have done what they can to position films in their best light.

"We think 'Simone' will stand out because the picture is a different sort of comedy," said New Line distribution president David Tuckerman, whose "Austin Powers in Goldmember" debuted at No. 1 last weekend.

A whimsical tale about a failed director who aims for success with a cyberactress, "Simone" is much more adult-oriented a film than, say, "Goldmember." Meanwhile, Tuckerman hopes the spy spoof's laughs will put up a fight for the youth audience against "XXX."

Over the coming frame, "Goldmember" will knock heads with the Paramount concert documentary " Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat," in addition to "Signs" and "Master of Disguise." Forecasting chances for the Mike Myers starrer this session, Tuckerman estimated, "Anything less than a 50% drop for a picture this big would be good."

"Goldmember" hunted down $73.1 million in its opening weekend, and daily grosses since then have been equally groovy. The comedy was expected to reach a shagadelic $100 million domestically by the end of its seventh day Thursday -- the fastest pace ever for a comedy.

"Signs," which unspools in 3,264 theaters, looks poised to gross well north of $30 million in its opening frame. That would put it squarely in competition with "Goldmember" for this weekend's No. 1 spot.

"I'm really jazzed about the picture, and I think it's going to be a nice cap to our summer," Disney distribution president Chuck Viane said of "Signs"' prospects.

"Master of Disguise," set for 2,565 playdates, may approach the double-digit millions. And "Martin Lawrence" -- scheduled for only 750 engagements keying on urban markets -- figures to be good for at least the high single digits.

As for any of the pictures' prospects over subsequent weekends, much depends on whether "XXX" lives up to expectations. Sony marketing maven Geoff Ammer has sought to push the picture partly by stressing it was directed by Rob Cohen and produced by Neal Moritz, who last collaborated, with Diesel, on 2001 youth hit "The Fast and the Furious."

"We needed to capitalize on the hugely successful team that brought 'Fast and the Furious' to the marketplace," Ammer said. "But this is also a picture that is much broader than 'Fast and the Furious."'

That would be notable, for as Ammer pointed out, "We're finding this summer that it's hard to get somebody over 34 to go to the movies." Tracking data bode well, with awareness high among prospective patrons.

The marketing campaign has featured lots of action shots for the youth crowd, but also stressed older-appealing cast members like Samuel L. Jackson.

But in the end, there's only so much to be pulled out of one's bag of cute marketing tricks, Ammer confessed.

"You don't want to get so clever that nobody comes to see the picture," he said.

Oh Sure, It Looks Good, but is it comfortable?

Three words: Mouse Pad Couch

Mark Steven Johnson explains why Elektra doesn't wear her traditional red costume in the film adaption of DAREDEVIL.

Miffed with the Elektra black costume? Director Mark Steven Johnson explained things to Wizard a little and gives hope to those who want to see the bandana - "In our movie, Daredevil is already established and his red is intrinsic to his character," he says. "But Elektra hasn't turned into an assassin yet-it's more of an origin story for her. I wanted her costume to be one that would enable her to make that transition from Elektra Natchios into Elektra: Assassin. I wanted her to be able to slip in and out of the shadows in her search for Daredevil, and bright red sashes and headbands wouldn't allow for that. But in the future, once she's been established as a cold-blooded killer for his, I'd love to see her costume evolve into that of the comic character".

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO ROCK

Rocker Sammy Hagar vowing to never tour again with fellow ex-Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth, following their successful (but apparently taxing) summer tour. "The guy is a [bleep]hole," Hagar tells the New York Post. "He will never go on tour with me again. He's gonna have to draw a crowd on his own."

'Star Wars: Episode II' to Hit Retailers Nov. 12

The DVD and home video of hit movie "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" will land on retail shelves on Nov. 12, the movie's backers at Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox said on Thursday.

The movie is the fifth and newest installment in the long-running series of "Star Wars" movies by creator/director George Lucas, which have become one of the most lucrative film series of all time.

"Clones," about the rise of young Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (later to be known as Darth Vader), has grossed $584 million at worldwide box offices since its debut in May.

The entire series has accounted for more than 100 million in sales of DVDs and VHS videotapes since the original "Star Wars" landed in movie theaters in 1977.

Lucasfilm and Fox have put together a two-disc DVD set that features six hours of additional material including a documentary about the movie made by Lucas and the movie's other filmmakers and eight scenes that never made it into the movie.

There will also be a special edition VHS including six scenes that were deleted from the movie, among other features.

The DVD will have a suggested retail price in the United States of $29.98 and the VHS will carry a suggested U.S. retail price of $24.98. In Canada, the DVD and VHS suggested prices are C$41.98 and C$28.98, respectively.

DVD DVdetails

Lucasfilm has finally announced Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, hitting DVD on 11/12 in both 2.35:1 anamoprhic widescreen and full screen versions. Just released are the full specs:

* Attack of the Clones, mastered directly from the digital source by THX for superior sound and picture quality, presented in Dolby 5.1 Surround EX (English) and Dolby 2.0 Surround (English, Spanish and French)
* Audio commentary by Writer-Director George Lucas; Producer Rick McCallum; Editor and Sound Designer Ben Burtt; Visual Effects Supervisors Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow; and Animation Supervisor Rob Coleman, offering personal insights into the making of the film.
* Eight deleted scenes created for the DVD release, with introductions by George Lucas, Rick McCallum and Ben Burtt
* "From Puppets to Pixels," an all-new, full-length documentary that tracks the revolution in digital character animation, featuring the creation of the digital Yoda, Dexter Jettster and more

* "State of the Art: The Previsualization of Episode II," an all-new documentary featuring never-before-seen Animatics of Episode II

* Ben Burtt and his team explain the process of creating the sound for Episode II in the all-new documentary "Films Are Not Released; They Escape"

* Three behind-the-scenes featurettes exploring Episode II's storyline, action scenes and love story

* All 12 parts of "Making Episode II," the web documentaries that first appeared onstarwars.com
* The "Across the Stars" music video featuring John Williams

* The original theatrical teaser and launch trailers, plus 12 TV spots

* Galleries of theatrical posters, print campaign from around the world, and never-before-seen production photos

* An Episode II visual effects breakdown montage from Industrial Light & Magic

* HoloNet News website

* DVD-ROM weblink to exclusive Star Wars content

Voight, Daughter Jolie Go Public with Estrangement

Two weeks after Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from husband Billy Bob Thornton, her father revealed on Thursday in a televised interview that she has split with him as well.

In a tearful appearance on the syndicated TV show "Access Hollywood," actor Jon Voight said his daughter has "carried a lot of pain" for years, adding he was "broken-hearted ... because I've been trying to reach my daughter and get her help, and I have failed and I'm sorry."

Jolie responded with a brief statement acknowledging her estrangement from her father but offering no apologies or explanations.

"I don't want to make public the reasons for my bad relationship with my father," she said. "After all these years, I have determined that it is not healthy for me to be around my father, especially now that I am responsible for my own child."

The 27-year-old actress adopted a Cambodian-born baby boy just months before she filed for divorce July 17 from Thornton, 46, her husband of two years, citing irreconcilable differences.

Voight, 63, an Academy Award winner for his 1978 role as a Vietnam War veteran in the film "Coming Home," said his own "greatest pain" was not being able to see his adopted grandson, named Maddox. "I'd love to help out with the baby," he said.

Voight traced his strained relations with his daughter to his own separation from Jolie's mother, former actress Marcheline Bertrand, and his departure from the family home when Jolie was less than a year old.

He said he and Jolie enjoyed a brief rapprochement when they worked together on the set of "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" but had since become estranged again.

Jolie and Thornton, who met while working on the 1999 air traffic control comedy "Pushing Tin," separated in June, according to her divorce filing. The breakup of one of Hollywood's most high-profile and eccentric marriages had been the subject of frenzied gossip and tabloid headlines for weeks.

Jolie, who studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute in New York, gained widespread attention, critical raves and an Emmy nomination for her performance as the drug-addicted, AIDS-stricken model Gia Carangi in the 1998 HBO television movie "Gia."

She went on to win an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her role as a young, institutionalized sociopath in the 1999 drama "Girl, Interrupted" and box-office success as an action heroine Lara Croft in "Tomb Raider."

Comedians Raise Cash for Cancer Study

Ray Romano will be delivering punchlines to raise money for a study examining laughter's effect on ailing children.

Romano, star of the CBS sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," is the headliner at a Sept. 27 benefit for the UCLA Jonsson Cancer study.

Kevin James of CBS' "The King of Queens" and standup comedian Wendy Liebman also will entertain, concert co-sponsor Comedy Central announced Wednesday. Tickets went on sale Thursday.

The study, Rx Laughter, is testing whether laughter can help children and adolescents deal with the pain of treating life-threatening illnesses including cancer.

The five-year study, lead by Drs. Margaret Stuber and Lonnie Zeltzer, began in February 2000 with a $75,000 seed grant from Comedy Central.

Lucasfilm Announces Marketing Push for EPISODE II

Lucasfilm has announced that they will unleash a multi-million dollar campaign to promote the VHS and DVD release of STAR WARS EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. "We set the bar pretty high with the EPISODE I DVD, and we want to carry the momentum that we've built with this second DVD release, which marks the first time that a live-action feature shot digitally will be transferred to the digital medium," Lucasfilm vp marketing Jim Ward said. "With the compression and authoring that it has undergone, the film looks amazing on DVD." The special edition DVD will retail for $29.98 and will have six hours of bonus materials. The VHS version will retails for $24.98.

McGregor and Finney Set to Star in Burton's Latest

Ewan McGregor (EPISODE II) and Albert Finney have agreed to star in Tim Burton's latest film, BIG FISH. The Columbia film will begin production in Alabama in January with Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen and Richard D. Zanuck producing. The film is based on Daniel Wallace's novel BIG FISH: A NOVEL OF MYTHIC PROPORTIONS. Finney will play a dying father whose son is trying to learn more about him. The son tries to recreate the father's life in legends and myths and few facts that he knows. Through his adventure, the son starts to understand his father's achievements and failures. McGregor will play a younger version of Finney's character.

Green Sees An End to AUSTIN POWERS

Though "Austin Powers" creator Mike Myers is open to the possibility of more sequels of his spy spoof blockbuster, Seth Green thinks "Goldmember" is a good way to go out.

"It feels to me like this is the end of the movies," said Green, who plays Dr. Evil's son Scotty. "It would be a fitting end and I think a satisfying one for audiences. If there were to be some kind of continuation, I would leave that up to Mike to see where we go with it."

Green says he had to take his role as Doctor Evil's son seriously so he wouldn't laugh when he and Myers did their "Scotty Don't" routine.

"I just decided to really commit to the reality of it," Green told reporters. "You know, this is my dad and I hate him. And he's trying to be stupid and make fun of me in front of all these people. And I'm not going to laugh at you because you're dumb. And coming from that place, it is a little bit easier to not break. And if I found myself laughing, I would just make it into something (like that's) 'so stupid, don't you just see how dumb he is?'"

Green said he was surprised to see his silly dance at the end of "Goldmember" make the final cut.

"That was not intended for public consumption," he explained. "If you watch the movie, you can actually see where the real scene ends: A close-up with me falling out of chair was supposed to happen.

"I was just doing something silly for the gag reel. I come into ADR and (director) Jay (Roach) goes, 'You remember that dance you did?' and I said, 'The dance I did? The gag reel thing?' And he was like, 'Yeah. Yeah, we made that the end of the movie.' And I was just horrified, horrified."

"Austin Powers in Goldmember," the second sequel about the toothy, oversexed spy, collected nearly $73 million to set a weekend debut record for a comedy film.

Dogma: Take Three (and four)

For those of you who just can't get enough Kevin Smith, (and I know you’re out there). Lions Gate Entertainment has announced a third version of the film to hit shelves this fall.

After a fairly decent but barren initial release of the film for the casual viewer, Columbia released the film last year as an excellent special two disc special edition with enough legitimate features to keep anyone occupied. The one missing element was a controversial documentary explaining and in some ways defending the film to its detractors. In the end, the doc was deemed more controversial than the film itself and pulled last minute. The documentary has been restored for this new version and the film itself has been slightly lengthened, most likely with footage previously seen in the deleted scenes section of the existing DVD set. The new DVD will be made available both as the theatrical version or the lengthened version.

So once again, Dogma will hit shelves, this time with two releases from Lions Gate in the fall and with a suggested retail price of $24.95 each.

'Angry American' Toby Keith Tops Pop Charts

Country singer Toby Keith topped the U.S. pop charts on Wednesday with his new album featuring a controversial song celebrating the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."

Keith's album, "Unleashed," sold more than 338,000 copies its first week in stores, knocking the Dave Matthews Band and its latest album "Busted Stuff," off the No. 1 spot, according to sales data by album-sales tracker SoundScan.

"Busted Stuff" fell to No. 4 with sales of 212,000 copies in its second week, SoundScan said. The various-artists compilation "Now 10" opened at No. 2 for the week ended July 28, with 288,000 copies sold, while hip-hop star Nelly slipped one spot to No. 3 on the charts with his sophomore album "Nellyville," selling 271,000 copies in its fifth week.

Rapper Eminem's third major-label LP, "The Eminem Show," rounded out the top five in its 10th week of release, upping its cumulative sales tally to more than 4.5 million copies.

Keith, 41, obviously benefited from attention drawn by his Sept. 11-inspired single "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," which contains such lyrics as, "You'll be sorry that you messed with/The U.S. of A./'Cause we'll put a boot in your a--/It's the American way."

The brawny Oklahoma native helped stir a ruckus over the song by accusing ABC of dumping him from the network's Peter Jennings-hosted July Fourth music special, saying Jennings objected to the song's strident lyrics.

ABC News officials have said the invitation for Keith to perform was dropped because the network was unable to accommodate his insistence that he open the show and be provided with a jet to whisk him to another gig that night.

One network spokeswoman also told Reuters that producers did not want to open their three-hour celebration of American music with what Keith himself described as an "angry song."

Some have criticized the lyrics as crossing the line from patriotism to jingoism and suggested Keith stoked the controversy with ABC, a unit of the Walt Disney Co. to help promote his record.

Keith has denied seeking to cash in on a controversial song in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. He told the New York Daily News: "My Dad was a G.I. ... I wanted (soldiers) to know that any American that supported this song was behind them."

Keith faces competition on the charts next week from veteran rock star Bruce Springsteen and his album "The Rising," also inspired in part by the Sept. 11 attacks and his first all-new studio recording with the E Street Band since 1984.

That album, released Tuesday, features "Into the Fire," which Springsteen wrote after the hijacked plane attacks that killed more than 3,000 people in New York City, suburban Washington and Pennsylvania. It also includes "My City of Ruins," an earlier song about down-on-its-luck Asbury Park, New Jersey, that Springsteen dedicated to New York after Sept. 11.

Keith's previous album, "Pull My Chain," debuted at No. 9 last September with 119,500 units sold in its first week. It has gone on to sell 1.8 million copies.

"Unleashed" marks the third country album to top the pop charts this year, following Kenny Chesney's April release, "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems," and Alan Jackson's January release, "Drive."

Fox Won't Show Commercials on 9-11

The Fox broadcasting network and Fox News Channel said Wednesday they won't accept advertising for their Sept. 11 coverage marking the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

The decision is expected to cost the two networks a combined $5 million.

"Maybe it's because I live in Park Slope (Brooklyn), but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was not the right thing to do to solicit advertising," said Paul Rittenberg, head of sales for Fox News Channel.

Most of Sept. 11 on Fox News Channel will be filled with programming commemorating the events a year earlier. Fox's broadcast network plans a two-hour prime-time special that night.

Advertisers have expressed a general reluctance to include their messages in what is expected to be somber programming that day. The Wall Street Journal reported that Dell Computer Corp. won't advertise on Sept. 11-related coverage, and Pepsi won't advertise on any program that day.

Fox's competitors say they are still seeking both advertisers or sponsors who will underwrite the cost of coverage that day, and suggest Fox is simply giving up early.

"They may say, `Fox can't find someone to sponsor it,'" Rittenberg said. "Ask them who they're going to find."

None of the networks have publicly announced advertisers or sponsors, although some are privately confident there will be some.

Rittenberg suggested advertisers may only participate on Sept. 11 in return for price breaks during other times.

CBS contracted with Nextel Communications Inc. to underwrite a commercial-free airing of its March documentary on the World Trade Center. The network will repeat the documentary prior to Sept. 11, but doesn't have a sponsor yet.

Several networks went commercial-free for four days during nonstop news coverage of the attacks last year, costing the industry an estimated $200 million in ad revenue.